"Self Nourishment Please!" The secret plea of Cancer and Chronic Illness.

Women are suffering more chronic illness & cancer than ever before (The number of under-50s worldwide being diagnosed with cancer has risen by nearly 80% in three decades)

And women are being applauded for doing something that contributes greatly to this number.

My Grandmother was worshipped by my own mother for being a saint. She did for everyone, kept everyone's secrets and returned my grandfathers birthday and valentine gifts to buy more clothes for the 5 children.

What a saint... I suppose, but I don't really know, because she didn't live long enough to meet me. She died at a young age from breast cancer, an affliction synonymous with over giving and under receiving. The very thing in our society women are praised for. My Mother, Sister & Myself all have had and do have our own health afflictions due to this "saintly" attribute. It's a habit to break, and the first step is awareness. Consider this list, your first step. Lack of Nourishment Looks Like: Habits & Lifestyle: You use stimulants often (coffee, chocolate etc,) You stress out about getting things perfect

You burnout

You're usually busy

You have a big checklist that you keep falling short on

You feel like you've never done enough or never done it good enough

You put off your hobbies and interests and instead attend to everyone else and your checklist

You feel "wired" when secretly, you know you're tired

You scroll social media often (Trying to 'fill' something inside of yourself)

You don't have downtime with yourself. You are always distracted. Sitting with you is hard.

You are disheveled often and neglect your physical appearance even though you would prefer to present differently.

You can't remember the last time you had a beauty treatment/massage

You put things off until they get really bad (don't go to your naturopath until the symptoms get unbearable, don't get that massage until you're in terrible pain, don't go to the dentist until your tooth is throbbing.)

You've lost your childlike feelingss, and are strictly 'adulting' You don't even know what brings you joy anymore

Money problems

Your socks and underwear are stained/tattered

You don't use your nourishing things (Lotion, notebooks, candles, bath bombs, incense, etc,)

You are inspired, but you cannot "produce" anything or bring anything into form (aka a book you never quite get written or published) Root Chakra Imbalance (You don't connect with the mother earth, nor do you feel grounded)

Physical Symptoms:

You feel tired often You get sick often/suffer from chronic illness (trying to get care) You have digestion and/or elimination issues (not taking in nourishment)

You hair/skin/nails are weak (not taking in nourishment) You are either very over weight, or underweight

Your sacral chakra is blocked (creativity, sexuality & sensuality are non existent.)

You are struggling with getting pregnant (receiving the sperm)

Your body is stiff and inflexible (ignoring your body)

Your heart hurts, palpates or skips beats (it wants you to listen to your inner needs) You have chronic pain (body pleading for emotional healing) You don't feel like you're "in" your body

Relationships/Socially: You think if you stop to truly fill your own cup everything/everyone around you will fall apart You're more aware of what other's feel, than what you feel Being around people wears you out, most of the time

You have a hard time asking for what you want

You have difficulty receiving compliments, gifts or care You're not/rarely orgasming You're a people pleaser

You are irritable with your partner/loved ones and don't know why (often this means you are not getting your needs met and you're secretly bitter about.)

You don't actually know what your true needs are, so you just go through the motions.

You baby your mate, you are more of a mother to them than a sexy lover You overthink You help and counsel everyone else but don't have anyone to help or counsel you The are 41 things on the above list, the more you answered Yes to, the more important it is for you to begin the process of self nourishment. 10 or more is an SOS. Time to get down this Self Nourishment business! If you are not nourished, no matter how hard you try, you will always be giving from an empty cup. Which means all that "trying" to please, trying to be enough, trying to help fix and heal everyone else... all that effort is only about 5% as effective as if you would fill your own cup all the way to the top, yes THE TOP, and let it overflow. Your overflow is infinitely more powerful and nourishing to others than your try-ing.

You are more capable of effortlessly giving through overflow and, more importantly it sets an example for others around you, even your own children if you have them, that this is the new way we are doing things around here. Not from martyrdom or habit, but from fullness and inspiration, from LOVE. Because after all, if it doesn't include self love, it isn't coming from love.

Imagine, instead of doing what you do to get validation, respect, acknowledgement, safety, security or to prove your worth or value, you do what you do because you are full to the brim and inspired to do it. You are no longer grasping for something or trying to earn something through your actions, but you are giving freely, because you have it within you to give freely. That's what Self Nourishment creates.