Life Medicine: Your prescription for a more vibrant and fulfilling life.
- Kristin Keough Williams
- Aug 21, 2024
- 4 min read
Unlock your inner pharmacy of joy and resilience.
In a world that often feels chaotic and overwhelming, finding our own "life medicine" – the practices, experiences, and perspectives that nourish our mental health – is more essential than ever. Life medicine refers to the holistic practices and perspectives that nurture our overall well-being, focusing on both preventing and treating unhappiness.
Life Medicine encompasses a broad range of activities and approaches aimed at promoting mental, emotional, and spiritual health, empowering us to cultivate resilience, find meaning, and experience greater joy and fulfillment in our lives.
Here’s what life medicine can feel and look like:
A warm embrace of self-compassion: It's that gentle voice within you that reminds you it's okay to not be okay, to embrace imperfections, and to extend kindness to yourself, even during challenging times.
Go on, give yourself a big hug!
The freedom to express your authentic self: It's the liberating feeling of shedding masks and expectations, and daring to be vulnerable, creative, and be true to you rather than trying to be something you are not. Acknowledge that there is only one wonderfully unique you. You are amazing!
Connection with nature's healing touch: It's the grounding sensation of walking barefoot on the earth, breathing the fresh air, soaking in the sun, and marveling at the beauty and serenity of the natural world around you. Go ahead, embrace a big beautiful tree.
The transformative power of human connection: It's the shared laughter, deep conversations, inside jokes, and unspoken understandings that remind us that we are not alone. Try reaching out to someone you haven’t spoken to in awhile and see how it makes you feel. Most likely they’ll be excited to hear from you.
Feed your soul with creative expression: It's the joy of losing ourselves in music, art, writing, or any activity that allows us to channel our emotions and connect with our inner world. Singing can also help stimulate our vagal nerves that lead to better relaxation. There’s a reason why so many people sing in the shower. Sing your heart out, play your favorite song, finally write that novel, or build that Harry Potter Lego set.
Let creativity be your release.
The quiet stillness of mindfulness: It's the practice of being fully present in the moment, observing your thoughts and feelings without judgment, connecting with your sensory experiences, and finding peace in the simplicity of being.
An easy mindfulness exercise: In this moment what do you see? What do you hear? What do you taste? How does your body feel? What do you smell?
Try going outside and connecting with each of your senses, especially after a rain or in a park with flowers. Mindfulness is like giving your thoughts a cozy blanket and a cup of tea, instead of letting them run wild like toddlers on a sugar rush. Ahh the serenity.
The pursuit of lifelong learning: It is the insatiable curiosity that drives us to explore new ideas, challenge our perspectives, and expand our understanding of the world and ourselves.
How can you expand your learning? Talk to experts, watch Ted Talks, take classes, read historical books, or converse with the elderly as they have great stories and wisdom to teach. There is always more to learn so it’s a skill you can always be practicing.
Travel to broaden your experiences and mind: The more we travel the more we learn about other people, cultures, environments, and ourselves. Traveling helps broaden our mindset and perspectives. Mark Twain said it best, “Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness.” Getting off the islands of ourselves can help us foster empathy, enrich our lives through shared experiences, and enhance deeper understanding of ourselves and our world.
What an easy prescription: Go on vacation.
Your body is your temple: To truly flourish, we need to not only nourish our minds but our bodies as well. Eating water-rich nutritious foods and engaging in regular physical activity set the stage for feeling good, functioning optimally, and having the energy to reach our full potential.
Let’s getting moving, hydrate, and eat some greens.
The purpose driven life: Finding purpose and meaning in life is essential to wanting to take care of ourselves and it keeps us moving forward. Purpose drives us to achieve goals and keeps our mind from racing and being idle. Purpose acts like a compass, providing direction and meaning to our lives and it can include our career, family, religion, interests, socialization, goals, beliefs, hobbies, or learning.
If you are struggling with purpose, try the Daily Om affordable course: Finding Your Way Back To You.
Life medicine isn't a one-size-fits-all remedy. It's a personal journey of discovery, a continuous process of cultivating practices that nurture our mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual well-being. It's about finding what brings us joy, purpose, and a sense of belonging in this world. If you struggle to do this on your own, consider seeing a therapist or life coach to help provide some direction.
Whether it's therapy, meditation, spending time in nature, connecting with loved ones, or pursuing creative passions, each of us has the power to create our own unique blend of life medicine. By prioritizing our mental health and investing in the practices that nourish our souls, we can navigate life's challenges with greater resilience, find meaning in our experiences, and cultivate a deeper sense of happiness and fulfillment.
Think of Life Medicine like a spa day or a tune up for your soul.
