ORIGINAL POST 6/29/21
REVISED AND REPOSTED:
Self-care tends to be a popular topic. Especially for women who tend to wear many hats including, wives, mothers, business owners, employees, sisters, friends, care taker, ministry leader, etc.
I definitely believe it’s important to make self-care a priority as the saying goes, you can’t pour from an empty cup. If you are pouring from your cup (your needs) instead of your saucer (your overflow), you will always be thirsty (drained). So putting yourself first and taking care of yourself is important to not just your own well-being but for the people who are close to you.
However, there is a difference between self-care and soul-care, and it’s important for us to make sure that we are taking care of our soul. What does it look like to take care of your soul on a consistent basis? I share the difference between self-care and soul-care and how to make sure you are taking care of your soul.
Self-Care
According to dictionary.com self-care is defined as the act of attending to one’s physical or mental health, generally without medical or other professional consultation. Self-care activities are usually defined as activities such as a massage, pedicure, manicure, spa days, yoga, afternoon nap, etc. A large percentage of activities associated with self-care are focused on physical needs and sometimes neglect the needs of our soul.
Soul Care
According to dictionary.com, the soul is the principle of life, feeling, thought, and action in humans, regarded as a distinct entity separate from the body, and commonly held to be separable in existence from the body; the spiritual part of humans as distinct from the physical part.
So now that we have defined the soul, what activities can we do to care for our soul?
- Soul care activities can include guarding what enters your mind by being careful about what you watch, listen to, or read as these things can impact and affect your soul. Last year during the political unrest in the US, I had to guard my mind by making sure that I didn’t watch the news consistently as the stories and negative climate were too much for my soul. I still limit how much news I watch today because of the simple desire to guard my mind.
- Soul care also includes guarding your emotions by not putting yourself in situations that will be upsetting or stressful. Toxic relationships and work environments can contribute greatly to your emotional well-being. Checking your relationships and environments to make sure they are not negatively impacting you is important. Then make adjustments as needed. As business owners, this could include relationships that you have with clients, vendors, partners, etc.; make sure these relationships are positive and mutually beneficial.
- Your will is another area that you have to care about. As Believers, it’s important for us to not work from our flesh but from our Spirit and the best way to do that is to stay connected to the Holy Spirit by prayer, meditation, and reading the Word. As human beings, at times, we may be tempted to work from our flesh and ignore the Spirit. Making sure we are connected to the Spirit is key to taking care of our soul.
I recently attended an Entrepreneur Bible Study led by Jamal Miller. He shared 5 Things Your Soul Needs to Stay Healthy on the Journey to Entrepreneurship, which I feel is helpful when thinking about your soul care.
Your soul needs:
- God– Your soul needs the breath of God, the revelation of God, and the connection with God.
- Rest/Security– Your soul needs rest. You have the security that God provides. It’s
already done so there is no need to worry. - Purpose– Your soul needs purpose. Your work is a form of worship and feeds your soul when your work in fulfilling
- Boundaries– Your soul need boundaries to protect you from overwhelm and burnout
- Relationship/Support/Partnership/Help– Your soul needs support and help that you
receive through relationships and partnerships.
How can you focus not just on your self-care but niching it down to making sure you are taking care of your soul? What kind of soul-care activities are you doing or can you add to your daily routine?
Share your thoughts on self-care and soul-care in the comments below.