It is time for a spirit check up
Many of us have learned to prioritize survival over self-connection, making it difficult to recognize our own needs or pause long enough to listen inward. This reflection explores the importance of checking in with yourself as a practice of healing, self-trust, and wellbeing, offering gentle reminders that even the smallest moments of presence can become powerful acts of care.
REFLECTIONSCARE IN PRACTICEOUR THOUGHTS
Akeera Peterkin
7/14/20262 min read
The practice of checking in with ourselves can be challenging. This capitalistic system can bog us down with limited time, energy, and unrealistic expectations. And for those of us who have had past experiences of being trained to decenter ourselves, this practice is a skill we have not yet learned. How do we pause and breathe when our daily routine calls for “go, go, go” mentality? How do we notice how we are truly feeling, when our survivorship required us to disconnect from ourselves? These lived experiences can make it feel impossible to pause, breathe, or notice how we’re truly feeling.
The realities of stress, trauma, or holding multiple roles in our community can pull us away from ourselves and our needs. Yet when we don’t check in, we risk increasingly losing touch with our own bodies, spirits, and hearts. Small tensions in our muscles or emotions can grow to become chronic stress. Unaddressed thoughts become overwhelming or numbed. Connections with others and ourselves can feel distant. Ignoring our inner landscape is not just uncomfortable—it can quietly erode our wellbeing.
Every breath, every quiet glance inward, every tiny act of care matters. These moments are the threads that stitch us back to ourselves, reminding us we are whole and that our bodies, minds, and hearts deserve attention. Tending to our spirit is more than self-care—it deepens our relationship with ourselves, helping us recognize our needs, strengths, and boundaries. It also strengthens our connections to the world and the people around us, allowing us to show up more fully, authentically, and generously in our communities.
Wellbeing is not about fixing yourself or reaching some external standard. It’s about noticing:
How your body feels—heavy, light, restless, grounded.
How your mind moves—racing, still, clouded, sharp.
How connected you feel—have you reached out, or been seen, today?
How you nurture yourself—what small act of care can you offer to your spirit right now?
These reflections are not a checklist. They are a gentle invitation to return to yourself. To honor your presence, witness your experiences, and recognize that every small pause is a radical act of care in a world that often asks us to shrink.
Your spirit is resilient, and your wellbeing is sacred.
Let that be the grounding truth you carry forward today.
If you want support tending to your spirit or deepening these practices, we’d love to help you nurture your wellbeing. Reach out to us to learn more.
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