What Makes Your Soul Smile?

It’s so different for everyone, that certain something that sparks your inner glow and makes your soul smile.

It can be anything —a place, a person, a season, a song, a food, a smell, or simply a memory. Big or small, far away or in your backyard, the list can be endless, and forever changing. A revolving door of old favorites mixed with those just passing through. That special place you loved when you were 20 might have a different meaning when you’re 40.

Some things are set in stone, but others ebb and flow with whatever is going on in your life at a particular time. When my mom was in the hospital recuperating from brain surgery, I would cross the street and go to Whole Foods, wandering the aisles in search of something small to bring me joy, if only for a moment. I would slather on sweet-smelling lotions and spray myself with gardenia water (my mom’s favorite scent). At that time, caring for myself wasn’t high on my daily agenda (it was actually nowhere in sight). I was in crisis mode, devastated, just trying to stay afloat. But looking back, those daily trips to Whole Foods were therapy, self-care in the smallest form. And I’m here to tell you — you don’t have to be in crisis mode to celebrate what makes your soul smile. In fact, the best way to prepare for crisis mode is to find those things that nourish your soul, because ultimately, they will make you stronger. What makes your soul smile?

Photo by Shanti Nelson: One of many extraordinary sunsets from the dock on Half Moon Caye, Belize. I was fortunate to spend time on this beautiful island, most definitely a place that nourished my soul, everyday.