Nourish is one of those words that sounds a bit… worthy, doesn’t it? Like you should be doing everything perfectly all the time. Eating all the right things, meditating daily, living your best, most balanced life. But if I’m honest, that’s not how it looks for me at all.
For years, I didn’t really nourish my body properly. I ignored it, ate things that didn’t agree with me, and just carried on without really thinking about how I actually felt. It was more about convenience, habit, and not really paying attention.
It’s only in the past fifteen years or so that I’ve started to tune in a bit more. To notice what works for me and what doesn’t. These days, I mostly thrive on a plant-based diet, and it genuinely makes me feel better — lighter, more energised, more… me. But I’ve also learned that it’s not about being rigid. At one point, I reintroduced eggs because I felt like my body was asking for them. And that’s the thing — learning to listen.
Because nourishing yourself isn’t about following rules. It’s about paying attention. That said… I am absolutely not perfect.
I have a definite weakness for crisps. Always have, probably always will. And I do enjoy a gluten-free beer — not every night, but maybe four nights a week. Just one though, because I know my body doesn’t appreciate any more than that. I tend to choose gluten-free when I can, simply because my stomach feels better for it.
And I think that’s where the balance comes in. It’s not about cutting everything out or being “good” all the time. It’s about knowing what works for you, what doesn’t, and finding a way to live that feels both enjoyable and supportive.
Because nourishment isn’t just about food. It’s about how you care for yourself as a whole. Taking time to slow down, to rest, to sit quietly, even for a few minutes, and just breathe. Meditation, when I remember to do it, is one of those things that always brings me back to myself.
It’s also about doing things you love — watching a good film, reading, creating, spending time with people who make you feel good. The ones you can be completely yourself around, without effort. And, just as importantly, gently stepping away from things — or people — that don’t feel nourishing at all.
Because the older I get, the more I realise that what we allow into our lives matters. The food we eat, the thoughts we have, the company we keep… it all adds up. So now, I try to think less in terms of rules, and more in terms of nourishment — what feels good, what supports me, what gives me energy rather than takes it away. Not perfectly, not every day, but more often than not. And honestly, that feels like enough.
This is something I touch on in my book too — that idea of tuning into yourself, listening to what you need, and creating a life that feels supportive rather than restrictive. f that resonates, you can find it on Amazon and if you google The Enchanted Midlife by Suzy Turner, you will also find it on numerous other online bookstores.
If you’re taking part in the A to Z Blogging Challenge this year, let me know in the comments so I can check out your posts. And if you’d like to catch up on the rest of mine, you can find some of them here: A is for Alchemy, B is for Becoming, C is for Cycles, D is for Disillusionment, E is for Energy, F is for Flaws, G is for Grumpy, H is for Hormones, I is for Intuition, J is for Joy, K is for Kindness, L is for Laughter
