Hug, Imagine, Jink

Three days running and I haven’t posted to the AtoZChallenge on Holistic Self-Care. My apologies. Between work obligations, Ineeded to practice a bit of self-care.

So today I’m playing catchup by reflecting on three ideas atonce.

H is for Hug

Plenty of evidence exists to show that hugging increasesserotonin and lowers blood pressure – making it good for body, mind, andspirit.

I wasn’t raised to be much of a hugger. My family didn’t hugmuch. This doesn’t mean we didn’t love each other but our love and affection weredemonstrated differently – primarily through sarcasm and service. For me, aperfectly placed sarcastic remark from one of my siblings releases the same doseof serotonin as a physical hug.

But today I suggest that rather than thinking about what ahug does for us, I’d like to think about what we offer with a hug.

A hug offers Honest – Unabashed – Gratitude

Can you offer Honest –Unabashed – Gratitude towards loved ones, friends, trees, yourself?

Whether you hug with your heart, your hands, or your head – areyou offering Honest Unabashed Gratitude?

Hug a loved one. Hug a friend. Hug a tree. Hug yourself.

I is for Imagine

If we believe that all life is energy and vibration, andthat our thoughts become our reality – as many scientists, philosophers, andspiritual gurus say – our ability to imagine is one of the most powerful toolswe possess to envision and then bring about our deepest desires.

Ignatius of Loyola encouraged the use of the imagination inprayer – to tap into your deepest desire.

Imagination is not always a simple flight of fancy. Instead –

To imagine is to know that our current reality – as good oras not so good as it is – isn’t the entire story.

To imagine is to believe in the possibility of “Next?”

To imagine is to hope.

About what do you imagine?

J is for Jink

JINK is not acommon word in my world but when I looked up the definition, I knew it neededto be included in holistic self-care.

The standard definition of the verb JINK is “to changedirection suddenly and nimbly, as when dodging a pursuer.”

Practicing holistic self-care sometimes calls us to nimblyand suddenly change direction: physically, mentally, and emotionally.

When we aren’t treating our bodies respectfully – jink.

When negative thoughts creep in to our choice to live a positive,joy-filled life – jink.

When what we feel hurts – anger, sadness, grief, fear, etc. – AFTER we allow ourselves to HUG the feeling and imagine new possibilities – jink.

Have you hugged lately? About what do you imagine? When do you jink?