What Do You Need to Thrive?
with Nicole Cody

I live on a farm. Farms are very instructive for life, really.

Life on the farm is always varied. Yesterday we went down to the flats by the river to inspect the pasture regrowth. Once upon a time (long before us) this paddock was heavily cropped, year after year, with corn and sorghum. We’ve had the cattle locked out of here for a few months, and with all the rain and warm weather the grass should be springing back nicely.

But of course it isn’t.

Except for the areas where a nice pile of cow dung has nourished the soil. Around the old cow pats the grass has sprung strong and green and is at least two feet taller than the rest of the paddock.

That tells us something important. The soil is depleted, and needs a good feed. If you get the soil right, you can grow anything.

We farm organically. Where we can we even farm bio-dynamically. We look after our dirt. Right now I have some cow dung stuffed into cowhorns, buried in a corner of my garden, ready to make BD500, a biodynamic preparation for restoring the soil fertility. It sounds kind of witchy, which is maybe why it appeals to me, but I know one thing – in the areas where we’ve already used it the pasture is lush and green, with great species biodiversity.

Yes, alright, Nicole, I can hear you say. That’s lovely, but how does that apply to me?

You know I’m going to tell you…

You are like my farm. Everything grows or doesn’t grow dependent on how rich your interior soil is. Looking after yourself is like a farmer tending to their soil.

Self care isn’t a natural act for most people anymore. Too many of my friends and clients have confided to me that they feel guilty about pursuing their own interests or taking time for themselves when they have jobs, partners, families, elderly parents and social obligations.

But if we keep drawing on our own energy to support others without ever filling ourselves back up, eventually we end up empty. We lose ourselves. We look in the mirror and don’t know who we are anymore. We become little more than machines.

Here are some ideas to help you tend your own soil:

Are you feeding your body well? Are you giving it a wide range of food groups, good fats and proteins, and choosing lots of plant-based foods in your diet to help your body be healthy and strong? If you take this even further, can you choose organic or chemical-free foods, and foods that are grown locally with low food miles? Farmers Markets are usually fantastic for these sorts of choices and you’ll be supporting farmers who care about their dirt.

You can’t heal, sleep well, think well, love well, or create well when your body is depleted of vital nutrients, or if you are chronically dehydrated. Make sure you’re drinking enough water. Limit the junk that goes into your body. An occasional treat is fine – life is for living, after all - but be sure that what you are feeding yourself the majority of the time is truly nourishing for you.

Are you feeding your mind well? Are you giving it new learnings and challenges to help it grow, and stay fit and active? Are you exercising? Are you reading and watching movies and documentaries, creating and travelling and having adventures?

All of these things keep our synaptic pathways strong. They ward off Alzheimers, depression and anxiety. They also provide a strong flow of new experiences, images, ideas and sensory richness that feeds our creative fires. It is far easier to be inspired and to stay in flow when we have a diversity of experiences. They also provide outlets for emotional expression and improve our mental health.

Are you feeding your Soul? Are you connecting with people, hugging your pets, spending time in nature, doing things that make your heart sing? Do you meditate, pray or spend time in spiritual reflection?

Journalling, writing and other creative acts can be both brain food and soul food, which is a lovely bonus!

Nothing grows well in depleted soil. Take some time to nourish yourself: body, mind and spirit. The more you nourish yourself, the richer the rewards will be. Every time. It might take a while if you’ve really stressed yourself out, really run yourself down, really done a number on yourself. But just like my poor, tired, nutrient-stripped paddock, you’ll come back with some TLC, a little effort and the right basic ingredients.

You deserve to thrive. But it’s impossible to do that without good soil. Nurture yourself. You’re worth it. I promise the results will delight you! Bless xx

Nicole Cody is a Metaphysical Teacher and Channel. She specialises in Soul Blueprints, Life Direction Counselling and Spiritual Mentoring. For more information contact 07 3256 0815 or www.nicolecody.com. Visit her blog: www.cauldronsandcupcakes.com or find her on Facebook. Light and Blessings be Yours!