10 Ways To Fill Your Cup + PODCAST Announcement
You've probably heard the phrase "you can't pour from an empty cup" but how many of us actively live by that? I know that for a long time, and even now from time to time, I am definitely trying (but not succeeding) to pour from an empty cup, as a result of trying to do all the things.
What I've learned is that we can't do all the things and that's OKAY. If we aren't filling our cup, putting ourselves first and prioritizing self-care, we aren't going to be able to show up for ourselves and for others as the best possible version of ourselves.
I guess this is a good time to share that my podcast I referred to in my last blog post, The Fill Your Cup Podcast, is officially here and available for download/subscribing/all the things you do with podcasts (cue: happy dance/crapping my pants/mostly happy dancing!).
Tune in on: iTunes, Spotify, Google Play Music or Stitcher
You’re Invited: Join the Fill Your Cup Online Community group!
I have been wanting to start a podcast forever but I wasn't sure what I would talk about. I wanted to use it as a way to continue to share my teachings around overcoming disordered eating and emotional eating, but to be honest, they're both pretty heavy topics and while I think it's great to talk about them, I wanted to share something a bit more uplifting in people's ears on a weekly basis.
The idea of The Fill Your Cup Podcast came to me around a time where I was not filling my cup back in October 2018. My body was feeling physically broken from all of the intense exercises I was doing, I was working around the clock (yes, even when you love what you do, it's possible to burn out from it) and I wasn't putting myself first. The people-pleaser in me was constantly trying to show up for others before showing up for myself.
I was walking to work one day when it came to me. Knowing that emotional eating is often born out of people not meeting their basic needs (i.e. getting adequate sleep, managing stress, eating a balanced diet), I started thinking, "these people that are struggling with emotional eating and disordered eating need to start putting themselves first, they need to prioritize self-care, they need to ... FILL THEIR CUP!".
And of course, all of the fireworks and light bulbs went off in my head, thinking I had just landed on a brilliant idea. The good news is that I'm still not tired of it and the name still really resonates with me so I think it might have actually been a brilliant idea after all, haha.
The Fill Your Cup Podcast will cover an array of topics that will give you tools on a weekly basis to fill your cup, whether it's in the realm of self-care, nutrition, relationships, body acceptance/positivity, careers (finding the job you love!) and your relationship with food and your body. It'll be a happy blend of both solo episodes and episodes where I'm interviewing brilliant guest experts who can speak to each topic on more of a personal level because I wouldn't be the first person to talk about things like meditation as a form of filling your cup. I'd much rather bring on an expert that can speak to that!
I am so so excited about this and would love to hear from you too as you start to listen to the podcast and of course, I'd love to hear what else you want to see from the podcast in the near future. If there are specific topics you'd like me to cover or specific guests you'd like me to interview, let me know in the comments or join The Fill Your Cup Podcast Community where we connect about the podcast episode/all womanly things on the daily!
While you will get a ton of strategies to fill your cup by listening to the podcast, I wanted to leave you with 10 of the non-negotiables that I do on a regular basis to ensure my cup stays full!
10 Ways I Fill My Cup On a Regular Basis
Movement – whether it's a yoga class, CrossFit workout, or a walk with a podcast, I make a point to move my body daily. It gives me a natural boost of energy that leaves me feeling uplifted for the whole day!
Eating #RealAssFood (most of the time) – I'm one of those weirdos that actually loves fruits and vegetables, but I also know that I feel my best when I eat real wholesome foods. Does that mean every morsel of food I put in my body is real and wholesome? No! As an intuitive eater, I mix it up and listen to what my body needs on a regular basis. Sometimes that's a big leafy kale salad, and other times it's something comforting like chicken pot pie or pasta! I try to choose healthy options, like chickpea-based pasta, knowing that's what makes me feel best. But if I happen to want a plain white pasta, I'll honour that and give myself permission to have that (knowing what happens when we deprive or restrict ourselves).
Only committing to 2 social things/week – I have the tendency to be a "yes" woman which meant that when a friend asked to hang out, grab a bite or drinks after work, I would say yes. But as a slight introvert and homebody, I found that being out all the time was really draining me and so I've since committed to only doing 2 social-related things per week and I feel SO much better as a result. I love my friends and always have a good time whenever I do go out, but I'm also super happy when I can just come home after working for the day and relax by making a homemade meal!
Drinking water – This is where I take the "fill your cup" phrase rather literally, but making sure I'm drinking an adequate amount of water is huge for me and how I feel. Did you know that even when you are 1% dehydrated, your bodily processes start to slow down, including digestion and your mental capacity? For that reason, I always travel with a water bottle and keep water at my desk while I'm working or watching TV to ensure I'm getting enough water each day.
Relaxing my mind – With my go-go nature, it's rare that my mind gets a chance to stop. If I happen to wake up before my alarm in the morning or in the middle of the night, my mind will start thinking of things I need to do or work on in my business. I'm not proud of this, but it's just a sign that I need to carve out that time for my brain to rest and relax every day. I've found yoga to be super helpful for this! I remind myself that once I step on my mat, it's just me and the mat for 1 hour straight and that I can afford to turn off my mind and not think about anything else for that time. Occasionally I'll incorporate meditation using the app Headspace but this isn't so much a regular habit yet, but something in my toolbox that I know I can turn to.
Take a luxurious shower – It may sound funny to say that showering is a way that I fill my cup, given that it's kind of a necessity, but when I'm feeling a bit tired or worn down, I'll make a point to take a super delicious shower! That might mean I dry brush before my shower, alternate between hot/cold water throughout my shower to spark my energy and give my lymphatic system a little boost, use a natural exfoliant, shaving my legs (okay, THIS is a luxury haha) and then follow by moisturizing my body and using ultra-moisturizing serums on my face. It really does feel like a treat for my body and I often come out feeling a sense of renewal.
Cooking – The kitchen is my happy place! When I'm cooking, I'm not thinking about anything else. I'm not one to follow recipes (sometimes this backfires); I'm more of a "little bit of this, little bit of that" kind of chef, which may also be the reason the Instant Pot and I have been trouble becoming friends, but I have faith that we're en route to being the best of pals soon! If you love cooking too, try some of my #RealAssFood recipes!
Spending time with Randy – My love bug, Randy and I, actually don't get to spend that much time together despite the fact that we live together. With his alternating shift work schedule, we get 2 free weekends a month and the odd evening throughout the week. I actually told him that I don't think I'll ever get sick of him because I've never been with him long enough to actually get sick of him! But when we do get to spend time together, I make a point to really soak it up and turn off from work as much as possible. When I'm with him, I don't think of anything else except what's right in front of me!
Monthly massages – This is one of my more "bougie" practices that I do to fill my cup but it's one that I've found makes all the difference! We often don't realize that a lot of the stress we take on manifests in parts of our body and this is the gift I give myself on a monthly basis to work out all of those kinks. I also found the BEST RMT in Toronto who I'm hesitant to tell you about because it's already super hard to get in with her (lol) and it makes it feel like such a huge treat!
Cleaning and organizing my home – We all know how good it feels after we've made the time to clean out our closet and refold all of our clothes, or organize our pantry. I don't do this every week, but every now and then I'll do a deep clean and it's exactly what I need to feel aligned and ready to do what I set out to do. There used to be times where I would just work at my desk with a high pile of folders and papers but I quickly realized what this was doing to my creative energy. Since then, I've made a point to organize and clean up as much as possible on a regular basis.
What's one thing you do on the regular to fill your cup?