Fill Your Buckets

If you are anything like me, my head has been spinning the past couple of weeks. 

From changes in our country, to health scares in my own family, to a thrashing and residual tension headache - through it all I have been trying to remind myself to focus on the things that matter most.

Controlling the controllables is simple but not always easy. 

We desire change in our world and with other people, but in the end the only thing we control is the change we create within our own minds and body.

It’s time to shift and fiercely control the things you can, focus on nurturing the aspects in your life that help you thrive, and let go of those things that are outside of your circle of control.

Imagine your life in four buckets:

• Emotional needs

• Mental wellness

• Physical well-being

• Spiritual growth

In these four buckets, there is soil for you to gently tuck a seed. 

Each of these four categories is just as important as the other.

Each bucket with the tender soil and little seed needs water, nurturing, and sunshine. 

Here are some strategies that focus on taking care of yourself, controlling the controllables, and filling your buckets with love and attention. 

Emotional needs - humans have beautiful yet complex emotions. We can feel many things from one minute to another. Here are ways you can nurture your emotional needs.

• Name your emotions - recognize how you are feeling and create space between the emotion and you.

• Gratitude practice - take time to identify the things and people you are grateful for to experience a perspective shift.

• Call a friend or family member - reaching out to catch up with a loved one can do the heart good. 

• Positive affirmations - develop and repeat to yourself positive affirmations that help keep you going. 

Mental wellness - to help contribute to overall wellness, keeping your mind active and open is a game changer.

• Meditation or mindfulness practice - creating space to just BE can help attract a sense of calm and control.

• Reading - getting lost in a book or learning from others can help stimulate your mind and keep you feeling good. 

• Clean and declutter - yes it’s in your physical space, but when the environment around you is neat and tidy, the tidiness can be reflected in your mind as well. 

• Create something - write a poem, a short story, create a video, or simply color a coloring page. Finding a creative outlet and being present in creative endeavors can help nurture your mind. 

Physical well-being - we are given one vessel and one vessel only in this life. It is the vehicle that holds our heart and soul, and it’s time to give it a bit more love.

• Exercise - it doesn’t have to a 2 hour barn buster workout, it could be as simple as a 10 minute walk. Movement is medicine so get your body in motion every day. 

• Sleep - the most underrated performance enhancer is sleep. Strive to get 7-9 hours of sleep to take care not only of your physical well-being, but emotional and mental health too.

• Food for fuel - Eating nutrient dense food can be challenging in America, when empty calorie food is more convenient and cheaper. Choose your health over convenience and be intentional about how you fuel your body.

Spiritual growth - we all crave to find purpose and meaning in this game called LIFE. Learning to develop empathy, compassion, and inner strength within ourselves first can help us share these traits with others.

• Connect with nature - taking time to be in nature can create connection between you and the great Mother Earth and can create a deeper connection within yourself. 

• Identify your values - knowing your values can be your guiding compass during challenging times. The key is to identify your values and goals before adversity hits.

• Foster your faith - whatever you believe, it can be enlightening to spend time in silent prayer, meditation, or in church services or religious studies. 

Each of these buckets needs love and nurturing to grow and blossom. 

• What buckets of your life have you been avoiding?

• What buckets of your life are already full?

• How can you strike a balance to create abundance in all of your buckets?

Those who are willing to examine and focus on the things they can control have the opportunity to truly nourish and thrive from within. 

You can’t pour from an empty bucket, so take time this week to intentionally fill your buckets!