The Four Pillars to Self-Care
The following is an excerpt from Inner Wealth by Julie Wald.
The Four Pillars
Self-care comprises four pillars: movement, stillness, touch, and nourishment. These pillars came to light through the work we have been doing with individuals and families since 2003 at my wellness company, Namaste New York. We witnessed and realized that true well-being does not come from a single magical solution or practice, but rather, it requires a holistic, integrative approach. The four pillars align with the basic ingredients a newborn baby requires for healthy development — and when they’re out of balance, our foundation becomes less stable, and like a baby, it becomes more difficult to thrive. We must pay attention to all of the pillars as they are the vital ingredients for a healthy, happy life; if one or two are strong but the rest are wobbly, we lose our balance and can feel unhappy, unwell, and stressed out.
Movement
Our bodies were built to move. Movement helps us develop a sense of skill and invites us to celebrate being alive. Our ancestors moved all day long, yet we’ve become a sedentary society. Despite evolution, our stress hormones still function from fight-or-flight reaction mode, releasing cortisol and adrenaline, even though we no longer worry about running away from saber-toothed tigers. Centuries ago, escaping from harm released the stress hormones that our bodies adaptively produced in a moment of danger. Today, we’re far less likely to have to outrun a predator, but we experience stress that leaves us feeling threatened and vulnerable. What does that mean? The fight-or-flight response is designed to trigger a burst of activity. Movement can calm the nervous system and support the body in breaking down stress hormones so the body can return to homeostasis. Movement also stimulates the body to produce endorphins — those feel-good hormones that make life exponentially more manageable.
Stillness
In our digital world, there’s no question most of us are overstimulated and overworked. We all have a lot to juggle and may work late hours into the night. Even when we are lying in bed or waiting for a train, we are mentally stimulated by the media on our phones. The experience of being in our own skin, feeling our feelings, and listening to and witnessing our thoughts has become a rare occasion for so many people. The flip side of mental and physical movement is stillness — in other words, the companion to work is rest. Our bodies and minds need time for recovery and reflection. A once- or twice-a-year vacation or even weekend downtime isn’t enough to make up for the daily stressors of our lives. We need to consistently integrate restorative and relaxing moments throughout our normal routine.
Nourishment
Nourishment begins with the nutrients we introduce to our bodies. It’s not a specific diet per se, as I believe that the food formula is truly different for each of us. It’s more about mindfully feeding our bodies with gratitude and joy. And while food is incredibly important, we could be eating the healthiest diet on the planet yet still feel hungry if we are not nourishing our hearts and minds as well. We must make an intentional, concerted effort to partake of art, music, literature, and pure beauty to nourish and stimulate our mind to grow and flex. Likewise, we must fill and expand our hearts with those in our community, and spend time with family and friends to complete the circle of nourishment.
Touch
Touch speaks to connection, relating and communicating to ourselves and others, and a primal need to be held and supported. On a surface level, connection happens nonverbally, through touch, yet we live in a society that is either deprived or phobic about touch as a way of connecting. We walk about with our phones in our hands instead of holding hands. The language of touch is about giving and receiving, nonverbal communication between two human beings, listening and feeling between “healer” and recipient.
Bringing the Four Pillars into Your Life
All that said, you have to begin somewhere. When you begin the journey with one of the pillars, your curiosity to experience the other pillars will grow. Deep down we all crave a healthy state of dynamic equilibrium, and as you begin to peel off the layers of resistance and become open to the potential of greater balance, you will look for practices to build on the ones you’re already engaged in. When you start to feel well, you’ll want to feel well more often, and you’ll look for ways and practices to make that happen. You’ll also notice that when you feel good in and about yourself, you see the best in other people. This is where the true magic begins to happen. But of course, it’s not really magic because it’s entirely real and achievable.
To learn more about the four pillars of wellness, you can find Inner Wealth on Amazon.
JULIE WALD is the founder, CEO, and Chief Wellness Officer at Namaste NY, whose mission is to help people live healthier, happier lives. Since 2003, Namaste has been consulting, curating, and delivering personalized fitness and wellness solutions for individuals, families, and organizations. With over twenty-five years of experience as a clinical social worker, yoga and meditation teacher, Thai bodyworker, and Reiki Master, Julie has advised and coached a clientele of high-performing business leaders and celebrities. An unwavering commitment to service has always been central to Julie’s personal ethos. In addition to serving Namaste’s clients, Namaste delivers complementary wellness treatments to underserved schools, hospitals, and community organizations.
