If you are here, it’s probably because you are interested in knowing what holistic living is.
I know, over the past few years this concept became very popular and we can spot holistic living, holistic health, holistic nutrition, etc. pretty much everywhere.
It can all sound a little bit too hippy-dippy, but the truth is that it’s quite wonderful.
I didn’t always follow a holistic lifestyle; however, I think, I was always called by it. Till one day, I just decided to see what this is all about and give it a go.
Essentially, it just means living as naturally as possible.
Looking at the bigger picture.
Looking at yourself as being part of the whole.
You don’t try to break down your physical body, your mental state and your emotions into 3 different categories but instead of start to look at yourself as a being interconnected with everything within yourself and with everything surrounding you.
You focus on everything at the same time, because everything is part of you.
This being said, a holistic lifestyle isn’t one size fits all. It just means that you observe yourself – all of yourself – and create a lifestyle that nourishes you as a whole. It’s a way of thinking rather than an exact system.
I like to consider myself as a combination of my mind, my body, my soul and my social environment. By being aware of these 4 dimensions, I can create a holistic approach to my wellbeing.
Just a practical example on how this works: if you don’t sleep well (body) because you are anxious or stressed (mind), day after day, you will probably feel quite frustrated and moody (soul/spirit) and you might snap at people around you (social environment).
Let’s quickly break down these 4 dimensions.
MIND
Tending to our thoughts it’s as important as tending to our body. A healthy mind and a clear mindset will automatically make us feel healthier, happier and more balanced.
Taking a holistic approach allows us to take a step back and really focus on what’s going on in our mind, assessing what is really going on.
- What are the thoughts and emotions going through your head?
- How are they affecting your life?
Keep in mind that, quite often, your mental state deeply affects your physical body, and your emotions can be a source of what you are manifesting in and through your body.
Ultimately, our mindset controls our actions. Cheesy but true: what you think, you create.
BODY
This part is probably the easiest one to consider. We can touch and feel each part of our body, see if something isn’t right and most of the times we can easily see and witness the effects of nourishing our body.
Generally, we are all aware of how important it is to take care of our body, eating healthy, get plenty of water, do daily exercise… however, when it comes to a holistic approach, we also need to consider other aspects, such as:
- How is my sleeping pattern?
- How is my memory?
- How is my level of humor?
- Do I have a daily routine?
- Etc.
Holistically speaking, we want to make sure that we focus on our wellness, living in a state of good health, rather than addressing issues as they arise.
SOUL
Pressing already the pause button here… I know that pinning down this concept can be a little harder compared to the mind and the body, however, generally speaking, it can mean spirituality. Nothing to do with religion.
We can also describe being spiritual as being able to live a life aligned with your values and living with purpose.
Nourishing your soul requires deepening the relationship with yourself, understanding how you are connecting with the world around you.
SOCIAL ENVIROMENT
This is also a concept that many people disregard. To me it’s extremely important. Say you live in a place or in a situation that doesn’t make you happy, deep down you know you deserve better but you keep sticking around because you feel guilty to only think that you would want something different.
Would you be really surprised if your mood wouldn’t be the best and if your neck would start to hurt due to accumulated tension?
What is instead you are surrounded by amazing friends and a lovely family, I bet you wouldn’t feel too sad about the situation?
So, if we are looking at taking care of our general wellbeing, it’s always important to focus on what’s around you, work life, people, situations, which they could either be strength or weak points in our journey.
To me the 4 qualities of holistic living are:
- MINDFULNESS
- INTENTIONALITY
- BALANCE
- PRACTICE
If you are able to focus, little by little, on each and one of them, for every aspect of your life (mind, body, soul, social environment) I can assure you, you will feel empowered, happier and healthier.
If you are curious to know more, stay tuned, for the next article and follow me on @conscious_body_soul for daily tips on how to live holistically without feeling completely overwhelmed.
Oh, also, don’t forget to check out the section ‘’Work with me’’ – Start here, you will find a lot of goodies which will help you start your holistic lifestyle.