You may have heard this phrase often. It is the classic phrase you will hear when you are on some kind of healing journey. Whether it is relationships, grief, or trauma, the phrase is one of many solutions told by us through our friends, family or therapist. But what exactly does it mean?
The Concept
Pouring into yourself is an action you take. The idea is, you have a cup. Everyone does. Your cup is full when you are being emotionally, mentally, or even spiritually fulfilled in some way. Sometimes we pour the contents of our cup into other people’s cups. Let’s say, a family member is going through a rough patch and their cup is depleted. The contents of their cup are barren in an emotional, mental, or spiritual sense. You spend a day with them, and pour contents of your cup into theirs. Whether it’s having a deep conversation or being of service to them. Their cup isn’t so barren in that moment. The concept is, to pour what you give to others, to yourself.
Pouring into your cup is taking care of yourself
So in a sense, pouring into yourself, your own cup means taking care of yourself. It is good, of course, to help others. To allow ourselves to lift up one another when we need it. But it is important to not overextend yourself. Your cup needs to be cared for too. You need to be cared for too. Some people have full cups when they fill the cups of others. That is great. People like that make the world go round. However, there is a difference between having a full cup due to having pride in the work you to do by helping others, and having a full cup from also helping yourself.
Ways to “pour into yourself”
If you haven’t already heard of the ways to pour into yourself more, here is a list of things you can do. Remember, you don’t have to feel pressure to tick off everything off the list. But being able to try and do as many as you can, can help you have a full cup.
- Creating a Self Care Routine
- Eating healthy
- Exercising regularly
- Resting and sleeping well
- Mental health monitoring
- Learning and growing
- Socializing
- Setting Boundaries
- Positive Affirming
- Practicing spirituality
- and practicing gratitude daily
Lastly remember that is okay to let yourself feel any kind of emotions you are feeling. Journaling helps for me personally, as well as having a trusted person, or medical professional such as a therapist to talk to. You are not alone in your healing journey. Many people have set foot on this path. Pretty soon, you will be pouring into yourself when it matters most. When our cups are filled, we then have the capacity to fill the cups of the people we have around us.