“When we clear the physical clutter from our lives, we literally make way for inspiration and 'good, orderly direction' to enter."
- Julia Cameron, The Artist's Way
This time of year, “spring cleaning” calls to us like another to-do we feel compelled to carry out. But each season, I'm reminded that clearing out the closet or organizing the pantry only goes so far if our internal world still feels cluttered. Like sweeping the floors clean, sometimes we must also make a clean sweep in other areas of our life.
Food has been the foundation of my life and career for many years, but I've never believed that nourishment ends at what's on the plate. Feeding ourselves is not just about fueling out bodies; it's sustenance that satiates wholly, and holy. And just like we feed the body, we are also feeding the mind. It's what we consume, what we believe about our selves, who and what we surround ourselves with. Consumption can be nutritious, or empty calories that leave us feeling hungry and wanting for more, more, more.
A question I've been contemplating lately is, “What are the stories I am feeding myself? Are they nourishing my well-being, are they feeding my soul?” I might need to eliminate some stories that are not providing the nutrients I need to feel healthy. I might need to amp up my vitamin intake with new thoughts, ideas and actions that better support how I want to feel, how I want to show up in the world, and where and with whom I want to take a seat at the table.
The change in seasons mark a time of year when I find it helpful, even necessary, to take a scheduled reset and recalibrate my body, mind and spirit. It's an intention to focus on what I put into my body, but also to revisit rituals that bring more mindfulness to my everyday ordinary actions. As spring unfurls into summer and the longer days extend our hours awake, I invite you to do the same. Clean the closets and clear out the clutter in your home, yes, but also clear out the clutter and create more space in your head, in your heart, for the kind of vibrancy and creativity you want to bring into your life.
And of course, to bring that renewed energy into the kitchen. Let it show up in the way you choose ingredients, the presence you bring to a shared meal. Let this be a season of nourishment in all its forms.
X Alisa
Photo credit : Jo Hanson, Art That’s Sweeping the City, 1980
