608 thoughts on “Self-Care, Self-Love and Nurturing in University”

1. Lieke I loved reading this at a time when I have embarked on on-line studies at University. All my past histories of arduous studying is what is in front of me currently, balancing it with work, home life, and everything else that goes with living life.

   We live with these consciousness throughout our lives, and from time to time, more often then not, they interfere with us.

   
The key or the antidote, is exactly what you have listed and probably many more for every individual. Self-care of the truest and highest form for a body is paramount. and it doesn’t need to be fancy either. The intricate detail to caring for yourself is discovered when we actually take the first step towards it. Then the rest will follow by committing and consistency to nurturing ourselves.

2. Yes, studying is equally important as everything else and therefore must be kept in equal perspective with self care. What you share here is very empowering.

   1. Lucy you’ve highlighted something powerful here, ‘studying is equally important as everything else and therefore must be kept in equal perspective with self-care’, bang on. We believe that studying takes precedence when really the balance of everything is of importance. – Thank you…

3. This is what I call work/life balance: “The most important thing I find about living life and studying in University is knowing that everything is equally important, so that studying is as important as for instance exercising, cooking, spending time with friends, doing the dishes and spending time with myself.”

4. Self care and fun is an important aspect of any activity we find ourselves doing, be this work or ‘leisure’ related – if we get too caught up in the mental side of things then this can weigh us down and deplete us, especially so if we are doing this consistently so and ignoring the needs of the body. University studies are that much more challenging because of the volume of mental activity that is asked for and so the counter balance of the body and presence in the body is so very much needed.

   1. It is interesting to observe that the mind alone will always disregard the body and that we have to bring our mind to what our body is doing in order to not get affected. So why do we give our minds so much credit for coming up with clever ideas whilst it ignores the state of the body? Can a truly clever idea come from a mind that disregards the body?

      1. Good question Lieke, I would say a good idea that comes from a mind that ignores the body may well ignore other people’s bodies as well and perhaps encourage the breakdown of this relationship which would, therefore, not be a very good idea at all!

5. Lieke – what a gorgeous sharing and some simple tips that have kept you connected throughout your studies – I wish I had had this blog to read to inspire me when I was studying at University too!

6. A dentist who cares for and nurtures themselves will offer equal care to their patients.

   1. Absolutely Mary, when another has a foundation of caring for themselves, it is then natural to share this with others.

7. I read how you’ve mentioned as a way of selfcare to not study in the evening. That’s quite something, most students will start in the evening and keep going until late in the night and that is one of the things that makes people exhausted and less vital, so then we need coffee, coca cola and other stimulating drinks or other means to go on and pass the exams or whatever else in life we need to do.

   1. Yes, the impact on our bodies from staying up beyond our natural sleep time is really quite something. Yet it has become so normal we don’t question it any more.

   2. Lovely to read how Lieke looked after and honoured herself whilst studying, ‘ I am a very tender, delicate, joyful woman who needs care, love and nurturing as my foundation, to then be able to do other things like studying without going into disregard for myself and my body.’

8. I’ve never as a ‘good’ student at school and I remember feeling bored during the class, looking through the window outside the sky and waiting the time to go out to the playground. From some time to now I’m finding how wonderful actually is studying for the very first time in my life, not because the skills and topics I learn but the way I’m with myself today which is far different of how I was in the past. I appreciate having Serge Benhayon in my life as a teacher because he remainds me that life can be full of joy, fun, lightness, wonderment…if I’m with myself, caring and deeply cherising the beauty of me. Something I forgot for so long and now I find it again. It is the greatest teaching I could ever receive. Now everything feels new again, every moment is a learning and is very precious.

   1. Yes, everything in life becomes more joyful when we enjoy being with ourselves.

      1. That makes sense, having a foundation of joy to go out and enjoy self and life.

9. What a gorgeous role model you are by your expression of truth and your living way that connects us all more to who we are.

10. When we make self-care and nurturing of ourselves our constant and solid foundation then everything else then flows with greater ease.

11. Univers-ity should be part of the Univers-e. Yet, it does not work as a point of light. We cannot count on this. That is why we have to take good care of ourselves while we are under its spell. Otherwise, it is easy to get sucked in.

    1. Love the play on words here Eduardo – and it is so true that as a so called ‘higher’ education, University studies really should be there to support us on all levels but clearly falls short in the care of the body, which, interestingly we know to be the foundation of life.

       1. Really there should be a pre-requisite for any work or uni course that we wanted to do and this pre-requisite should be a deep care, respect and love demonstrated and lived for one’s body as a bare minimum foundation and consistently held to show that one will not damage oneself going into studies or work in the world and hence end up worse off in the long run!

12. This is a complete turn around on the usual way we approach study where the body usually comes last and gets neglected in the stress and fear of needing to pass. But it makes complete sense to me that if we put the body first and take care of it then this will support us when we study and the quality we study in will be very different.

    1. Complete sense, to look after and care for our body, ‘ I have found that through making time to self-care, self-love, nurture and study in my own rhythm, studying can be much more fun, natural and easy.’

13. I like the way of self-caring for yourself before you do your job. Care is first, job is second.

14. This blog is ideal now that I’m studying again – it’s a great reminder to nurture myself during the studying. Not allowing the systems to pressurise or place me in unnecessary stress – making the learning more enjoyable.

15. This blog is ideal now that I’m studying again – it’s a great reminder to nurture myself during the studies. Not allowing the systems to pressurise or place me in unnecessary stress – making the learning more enjoyable.

16. Thank you, Lieke. This is just a timely, amazing reminder for me – nothing is bigger or more important than anything else; every bits of life is equally just as important to the next thing. When I make something ‘special’ I have already separated myself. Things may need different attention and focus, but the quality is all one. If I am lying in one area of my life, no matter how well I think I am presenting myself in other areas, it’s a lie through and through – I am already looking for something somewhere I feel my attachment to creation is forgiven.

    1. It is a great point you make Fumiyo that when you make something ‘special’ you have already separated from yourself as this is so true. When we do this we have to go into comparison and judgment, never a healthy, supportive or loving thing to do.

17. I wished this blog was around when I studied, full stop.
    I found I studied with such disregard to my body, no wonder it didn’t want to retain anything.
    All students preparing for exams need to read this, there is absolute simplicity and gold in here.

18. Great advice Lieke and the same recipe is appropriate to apply to all activities, not just university study, I find applying this approach to gardening and other physical activities that I do hugely beneficial and rewarding.

19. The current model of studying used in Universities and Colleges etc is clearly not working as many students are exhausting themselves with the way they are studying and totally forgetting about caring for themselves. Blogs like yours Leike are incredibly supportive and inspiring for students to read and know there is a way to study without burning out.

20. What a timely blog to read. I have just gone back to uni and actually put in a whole day of study today except when I drove myself to the shops quickly… and now I am realising that I didn’t I take care of me in any of it. Ouch.

21. Great what you have shared Leike about making everything as of equal importance, this is the one life that Serge talks about, bring self love and nurturing into everything we do.

22. “This leaves me feeling alive and connected to people around me.” The university of life is to live in a way that you feel alive to who you are and in brotherhood with others – no study required.

23. Exams offer an opportunity for great learnings. You learn a subject. You also learn how to best prepare for it. This includes, how to best support yourself to be able to learn all that is to be learned of the subject under consideration without exhausting or mistreating you so you are ready for what comes next when you are done.

24. Lieke what I love about your sharing is that you are knowing that everything in your life is as important as your studies, so it is not more important than anything else in your life. Studying for me has previously been everything. I allowed it to become the most important thing in my life and everything else took a back seat. I can still do this if I am having a busy period at work. That becomes more important than other aspects of my life. But the truth is that everything is important, even the seemingly insignificant moments (no such thing) for I am present in all that I do. That is the most important thing.

25. I absolutely agree, ‘I am forever inspired by the teachings and presentations of Serge Benhayon and Universal Medicine, who taught me to first love and care for myself before doing anything else.’

26. With all that brain work, super important to make sure you stay connected to the rest of you. Its not difficult (attention on breathing, walking, exercise… loads of simple things), but so critical or else you go wooden inside.

27. Any thoughts we have about our ability to retain the knowledge we need are so very invasive and imposing and if allowed become our experience. When seen for the lie and distraction they are, it becomes easier to move and adjust our body so they can no longer affect us. Maintaining our presence and loving trust in our selves is the key to ending this merry go round that many find themselves on.

28. This is by far the most loving way to study. So much impacts us if we put study over the wellbeing of our bodies. In my own journey of studying another thing I have discovered is how important posture is. How we sit as we study has a huge impact on our ability to stay focused and present.

    1. Very true posture is absolutely vital to staying present in our body. Just unraveling my spine makes me feel myself more again in situation when I feel tensed or stressed. You just have to want to change your posture!

29. Everything in life feels less intense when we self-care and I know for me part of the challenge is to continually honour how my body is feeling even though everywhere in life is telling me to ignore my body. It makes such a difference to work and home life when I do honour my body and my feelings. Life just becomes so much more fun and enjoyable too!

30. When our bodies feel tired, we are never fully ourselves. We may feel irritated or sad or moody. But school has made it normal and even desirable that we should be tired and that is a sign that we have worked hard and achieved. Complete fallacy.

31. I am studying presently and it has taught me a lot. One of the things that has stood out is trusting what I feel in my body to respond. Yes, I answer the question and what they want but it’s been a tremendous joy to flavour and wash the assessments with the flavour of me. It’s like I’m the teacher to all that I know in that moment while still under the auspice of the forever student to myself learning how to respond from all of me and how I feel.

32. The more we embrace and live a life of connection and self-love, the more patterns and beliefs that are not of this quality come up to be exposed, healed and released.

33. Making space to bring self-care, self-love, and nurturing into our daily lives has a knock on effect to all aspects of our life, including those people who are around us in a most gorgeous way.

34. A great lesson to learn while at University Lieke. When we make everything equally important, we then have balance and no one thing gets more attention or becomes a focus to stress about. I wish I had met you when I was at university.

35. What if all the university students learnt how to care, love and nurture themselves as part of their curriculum? Learning to bring love into whatever they do in their profession? That would be so amazing.

36. Self-care is such an important foundation. It makes a difference to not only our wellbeing but also how we are through the whole of our life. The biggest thing that I have found is that the more that self-care naturally becomes a part of my every day life in the ordinary things that I do, I end up enjoying people and the things I do even more and are less likely to be affected by people.

37. Working with deadlines, in this case your exams are a way to come to an end result at a certain point and nothing else counts anymore until this point is accomplished… as if the world stands still. So we lower our level of self-care and self-love in ‘stress full’ times when we need it more then ever. Your question ‘can I study, care for, love and nurture myself at the same time? Wouldn’t this be a much greater way to study?’ is therefore a very needed one for everyone in situations where they feel they make one thing more important than themselves.

38. I love the wisdom you have shared Lieke, too often students bury their heads in their study books and don’t make time to eat well, exercise or nurture themselves at all, no wonder some of them end up feeling totally burnt out at the end of the semester. What you offer here is a powerful way to study where you don’t lose yourself and you continue to self-care and be self-loving throughout the study period this is super supportive and inspiring for anyone who is a student.

39. “I have found that when I care for, love and nurture myself first and foremost, I can study in a way that is much more efficient and fun.” This blog has such important information for anyone who is studying to read and know about. Exam season is coming up in the UK.

40. This is a wonderfully powerful blog for how to support yourself through your studies or University. I find it is extra important to be aware of how I am feeling, if I am cold, have eaten well and am rested because all of these things determine how efficient I will be in my study. If I don’t look after myself then the nervous energy comes in, I start to doubt myself, over compensate and eat foods that just feed that pattern of behaviour. I have a degree in that pattern of behaviour so I know it all too well, but there is another way and you have shared how it is possible so thank you.

41. Imagine if there were compulsory subjects in schools of all levels, primary and secondary schools, universities, tafe courses and trade apprenticeships etc simply on self-care and how to master the work life balance during and after you graduate… I can only wonder what transformation would this bring to our workplaces and world around us if we graduated from an education system that had practical and foundational subjects that actually prepare you for life, not just work.

    1. A compulsory subject that has no pass or fail or exams only reflections on life and on what self care is and how this changes over time. I feel too Suse its more than mastering work life balance after graduation, it’s an ongoing current process that can evolve from day to day even moment to moment and everything that I learn today will support me for tomorrow. I do agree that the transformation would be significant.

42. Love what you have shared here Lieke, I have just had an exam period and feel that it has taken its toll, and can see that the way I prepared haven’t supported me to care for myself and be myself in full confidence of knowing enough for the exams. Which I have felt before, it is all about taking ourselves seriously and know that caring for ourselves is much more important than, having of time, or get high grades. As it all feeds our feeling of emptiness and the sadness you also shared about.

    1. Yes, as soon as we see ourselves less than knowing exactly how much we have to study to be prepared for an exam or any situation in life, we let in doubt that will take its toll on our body in many ways. It at least disturbs the harmony between study and rest and time with friends or family that otherwise would naturally be there. It is that disturbance of balance that makes us so exhausted and worn down.

43. I love this Lieke, how in fact when we take care of the foundation of looking after us, we can see how to be in life so that is does not take over or overwhelm us, we see the foundations of what is necessary and how we can stay us in it. A very valuable sharing thank you.

44. Thank you Lieke, what you have presented here is revolutionary for all who are willing to let go of ideals and beliefs around studying being an arduous task usually done at the expense of your body, as you have presented – it is all about living with a certain quality in our bodies that allows us to express it in everything that we do making anything that we’d consider complicated or time-consuming just simple and joyous for all.

45. The same applies to how we work. When I make my life all about my work and get lost in it, I feel foggy and disconnected – and the work is a lesser quality. By learning to connect more to my body, take breaks when I need to, notice when I’m feeling distracted and need to focus more on what I’m doing, I’m much more productive and enjoying work more.

46. Great blog Lieke, I loved your list because it is applicable to all of us, I read through it and felt reminded about putting the practical caring components into my own everyday working life. Beautiful to read how caring and supportive you are being to yourself during this time.

47. ‘The most important thing I find about living life and studying in University is knowing that everything is equally important, so that studying is as important as for instance exercising, cooking, spending time with friends, doing the dishes and spending time with myself.’ This is such a huge learning for life, understanding that nothing is more important than the next thing. I so often prioritise others before caring for myself and I end up at the bottom of the pile. This is a great reminder for me at the start of a new week as my body is telling me loud and clear that I need to prioritise looking after me, or else I will not be fit and well enough to care for and support others.

48. LIeke I love your list of how you nurture you whilst studying, it is beautiful how these things feed you back the love they do to support you during this time…. Being with you always and giving equal importance to each part rather than compartmentalizing is a profound teaching and a deeply loving and inspirational way to move through life that we all deeply benefit from embracing.

49. You could equally write ‘Self-Care, Self-Love and Nurturing in Work’ as we are all stressing out about the same things in the workplace and through our working lives. Its huge that you have clocked this University and found a different way as that will support you throughout life. Also it will show others a different way and that tearing your hear out may not be the only solution!

50. “I have found that when I care for, love and nurture myself first and foremost, I can study in a way that is much more efficient and fun” Brilliant Lieke – every uni student – indeed every person – would benefit from reading your blog. Every action we take is important – from teeth cleaning to presenting a project. All dependent upon the quality of energy we are in when we undertake any task.

51. ‘The most important thing I find about living life and studying in University is knowing that everything is equally important, so that studying is as important as for instance exercising, cooking, spending time with friends, doing the dishes and spending time with myself.’ A simple yet wise message for millions of students the world over. Thank you Lieke.

52. Lieke, I deeply appreciate that what you share in this blog. As when we only concentrate ourselves on that what has to be done we are loosing our connection with that part of us that is so wise and connected to the all and is able to naturally show us how to be in life and bring that exquisite quality to whatever is in front of us.

    1. Yes Nico, that is true. University can sometimes feel like ‘I will live me in full when I have finished Uni’, but I think that by that time we then would have built such a momentum of that delaying it, that it becomes then very hard to change that suddenly. In other words when we have been unloving for long suddenly expressing lovingly is not that easy, though very possible.

       1. Sure Lieke, everything is possible and it is never to late. As we are from love expressing love would not be the issue, but if we have built layers of delay in our bodies we first have to undo those before we will have full access to that love and are able to give expression to it in full.

53. It’s revealing when we come to do something we deem as important or work or study that we want to have more care or take more care in it. I’m not saying this isn’t a great step but at the same time seeing that if we had that same level or openness with what we perceive as the mundane or the everyday task then this would flow out to every task or even movement. We often want to look at the ‘big’ or ‘important’ things because they give us something while other things we may do every day just remain that, an everyday thing. But what would be more powerful in your life, something you do for a part or something you do all the time? The all the time task or movement is the key. No matter what the task, if we can dedicate to bringing all we are to the everyday the every movement then this would support, well everything. Therefore it wouldn’t matter if you were driving a bus, mixing cement, pouring a drink it would all be there as an extension of what was already there. I can see how I put life in parts and label all the parts or rate them when in fact it’s all the same and all a part of each other.

54. I love how you share that when you are fully present whilst studying then you ‘just know’ which parts are important. Making a commitment to being present with whatever activity you are doing supports the connection that allows us to tune into what is required in any situation without expending lots of unnecessary energy trying to cover every eventuality.

    1. I agree Helen and then I realised that I can apply exactly the same approach to my work when it feels intense, if I stay with myself I will feel what is important and what is needed next rather than taking on unnecessary stress to get it sorted.

55. Seeing the bigger picture feels like the key to revising for exams and to living a well-rounded life. When we get caught in the momentum of must pass this exam to the exclusion of everything else we forfeit any balance in our lives and lose sight of the wider purpose of why we are studying. The practical tips you share feel so supportive for anyone who is caught up not just at uni but in any aspect of their lives that has become more important than everything else including looking after themselves in a deeply self-loving way.

56. Hello Lieke and I love your approach to all of this by seeing it as one and not making one more important or overriding another. We all live in a busy busy world but it’s how we are in that busyness that makes the difference. As you are saying keeping the bigger picture about what you are doing and not getting caught in one track makes a huge difference and presence is the key. How often do you see your thoughts go into do it this way because that way didn’t work or the thought of this is better than before or I’m glad it’s not like it was before or I wish the future to be better all these thoughts and actions from these thoughts are out of the present. If we hold true that we have no need to carry the past or wish for the future because everything is here with us in the present. So dedicate to what is in front of you no matter what the heading and from there everything else will be taken care of. We create alternate realities including past and future to keep us from seeing the power in the presence. Spend more time here and in the present and you will find as you are saying it is all one and the same.

57. Its easy to get caught in perfection when you are studying, it becomes like an obsession and the “better” you are at an exam or an assignment, the higher worth and satisfaction you feel, but how long does that satisfaction actually last? And is it really worth it? Maybe what we are really craving is contentment, not a flitting high of doing well only to have to chase the next grade in order to achieve that feeling again . Keeping your mind and body focused on the broader picture is a great approach to study, not getting bogged down by the details and instead remembering that everything in life is equally important.

    1. “it becomes like an obsession and the “better” you are at an exam or an assignment, the higher worth and satisfaction you feel, but how long does that satisfaction actually last?” Very true Sarah, I have often felt an excitement to going to an exam and see how much I could answer the questions correctly. After I started the exam I would already get the first dip of not being able to answer all the questions and the the second dip after the exam of is this it? Was this all I looked forward to and I would feel empty in myself as had made the exam more important than the connection with myself and the world and feel the consequences of that. Nowadays I have this less to not at all as I do honour myself when studying and don’t put it higher than myself.

       1. That’s awesome news, I suppose the study element prepares the foundation for the energy you do or don’t go into in the exam.
          I have been considering that this perfectionism we spoke of earlier, can play out in each of us differently, re-reading my comment above you would think I had studied at some point in my life but I actually dropped out of school before exams started, in what we call year 10 in Australia. At the time I was in love with a boy who had left school and thought I was going to be a famous actress and didn’t need school. In truth though, they were just stories, I was really scared of doing “badly” in an exam and had such judgment on myself that I preferred to completely avoid study than fail at it. The cop out exposed itself, I was going to base my worth on how I did in high school, so if I didn’t do it, I always had the unknown comfort of, I might have done really well, if I had tried.
          I have no issue with people leaving school if they feel strongly about a future for themselves that does not require school but to run away from a fear is never the answer.

58. I have found, after returning to uni this year, that living a balanced life is what supports me the most, ie. being with my family, studying or working on assignments, grocery shopping, cooking, cleaning etc. When all this is in balance (as much as possible) then the time I spend on uni flows more easily. Something I have been learning recently is that sometimes the schedule uni has is not always the rhythm that is most supportive, so I have had to reschedule exams, ask for assignment extensions, and simply honour my body or the urgent situation that may have arisen to be dealt with. This is caring for myself and others, and not allowing uni to take over and dominate, which it can easily do if allowed to. Loving ourselves deeply is what holds us steady while at uni, as it is a very heavy and intense environment to be in.

59. Thoughts can be so harming to our wellbeing if we allow them to enter and indulge in them. It is because I have come to know that those thoughts are not true but something I have created to abuse myself.

60. Beautiful advice to offer all students “I asked myself; can I study, care for, love and nurture myself at the same time? Wouldn’t this be a much greater way to study?”

61. Thank you Lieke for this helpful blog. Just by reading about your self-caring and self-nurturing rituals I can feel the rhythm you have established for yourself.

62. This is such an insightful and supportive sharing Lieke. As I too have discovered that when we confirm who we are, the greatness we are through self-love, self-care and self-nurturing we actually create space for our knowing-ness to guide us. With this quality of presence we make choices that then support us to work, study or live in a way that not only honors our essence within, but also honors the intelligence we already hold in our bodies.

63. Awesome blog Lieke, this is very supportive. Your list of self-caring, self-loving and nurturing things are brilliant, I can apply this to how I work. When I was a student, I felt overwhelmed, tried, stressed and unhappy about a lot of things. Your blog would have been hugely support for me back then. So, a massive thank you for sharing your wisdom and experience as this will support many, many people world-wide to learn how to support ourselves with our studies and work.

64. I have divided up life Lieke into areas that are more important than others, and I can see how this creates issues in my life, instead of treating every part of life equally. It also has removed the focus from myself and my presence, to the outside world. I can see by making one area more important my whole life goes out of balance.

65. “I realised that when I am present with myself, as in not thinking about anything else while I am studying, I ‘just know’ what parts are important and I do not have to know every little detail and every page from the inside out to pass an exam.” This sentence was a standout for me today Lieke because I can see that it applies to every aspect of life. I often feel like I do not know what to do next, especially when I feel as though there is a lot to do. You show me that the way through this self made confusion is very simple if I connect to myself and choose to be present.

66. When you think about it the current education system really is quite insular and does not fully prepare us to graduate and come out into the real world in a practical sense with nearly enough awareness of how to balance both our work and life responsibilities.

67. There is the potential for us to push ourselves in absolutely anything that we do. Being aware of this fact and committing to purpose and quality supports us to stay present focused and prevent that push from taking us off track.

68. I love this Lieke. Its such a grand support. How most people approach studying is so different yet not making one thing more important than another and listening to whats going to support you at the time makes sense.

69. After reading your blog again Lieke I cannot help but wonder if sometimes we have been conditioned by society to only study to pass our exams – instead of learning to build our knowledge and wisdom for the soul purpose of not only preparing us all for the responsibilities of adulthood but so we can bring the understanding of all that we have learned to our chosen profession and workplaces. Would that not make a healthier workplace and society in general??

    1. Great point Suse, I felt this also. I spent my time at University cramming information into my head the night before and exam and promptly forgetting most of it once the exam was over. I achieved high marks this way at a great cost to my body and yet this way of studying was championed and accepted. When I look back at how I was at this time I am horrified as I can see that the way I studied did not allow for any true wisdom and did not support me to learn anything that could truly benefit others.

       It is inspiring to know that when Lieke begins to work as a dentist she will do so from the solid foundation she built through her studies and each and every one of her clients will benefit from her commitment to herself.

    2. Brilliant comment Suse. During my student years I was very focused on passing my exams and courses, the pressure to perform and achieve was very high. How supportive would it be if we taught students about self-care, self-nurture and self-love as well? I feel it would definitely support a healthier workplace and society for sure.

70. A great reminder that we don’t have to starve ourselves of loving care when we’re studying or revising and that nurturing ourselves before and throughout the process supports our learning as it boosts our vitality and assists our focus and recall.

71. Gorgeous to re-read Lieke and a wonderful reminder to see the importance of bringing self-care to everything you do in equal measure.

72. This is perfect timing for me to read your blog Lieke, as I am currently studying for 2 exams and your words of wisdom are a beautiful support and inspire me to deepen my self care and self love at this time.

73. Is it self-care a strategy to endure better hard times? Or is it a way of living life irrespective of the circumstances?
    Is it about bettering our lives? Or is it about clearing the way to be able to concentrate in what we need to concentrate in order to keep evolving as a human being?

74. I never went to university, but wow I am amazed how unloving it can be with what I read and hear from others. It will be a hard nut to crack but certainly we need to start chipping away to find new, more loving ways to educate ourselves – ways that do not take us into so much disregard and exhaustion. Who ever decided that disregard and exhaustion was something people wanted!? Its no surprise that people are getting sicker. Listening to the presentations by Serge Benhayon has inspired me to know that there is a way of implementing Love into Education that is inspiring and fun.

75. To know that everything is equally important in our lives is a little gem of wisdom as so often in the past I placed more importance in certain areas of my life and not on others….. well that created much struggle….. When I stay connected with my body, it becomes so much easier to bring quality of presence to all that I do. Thank you Leike for this awesome blog.

    1. I’ve found exactly the same thing jacqumcfadden04! As soon as I begin to place more focus on one area of my life more than another, things start to go out of balance and feel quite stressful and complicated. The key as you say, and for me too, is staying connected with my body, and to bring this presence into everything I do.

    2. Great observation jacqmcfadden04 and Lieke staying connected to our body naturally brings greater presence to all that we do and as you both share we come to see that everything in our life is equally important, all parts making up the whole.

76. Lieke you have to tell all students about your amazing experience about studying a “little different”! It would make so much sense so that not all students get trapped in these old beliefs. I love it so much that you break this old consciousness and I love it too that you are not holding back to share it with the world. You are really a student of life and knowledge – you are a powerful role model – wunderbar.

77. “I have found that when I care for, love and nurture myself first and foremost, I can study in a way that is much more efficient and fun”.
    What an inspiration your blog is for people gearing up for exams in both Year 12 and university; in fact any body exposed to exams. I have 4 grandchildren preparing for exams with varying levels of stress and anxiety. I have chatted to them all about caring for themselves during this time; sometimes the choices they make are certainly not self loving, efficient or fun. A lesson for me in understanding and allowing!

78. Wow awesome Lieke, thanks for sharing this, it is so inspiring and what an amazing way to live.

79. When you write, “I felt sadness, not because the exam did not go well, but because I could feel that the way I had studied was in disregard of my body”, it reminded me of the time when I used to feel an enormous loss after any big project that had come to an end. The project not being part of my life anymore used to bring up feelings of devastation because I had so completely identified with what I was doing, had been so totally focussed on getting it done and then there was the huge emptiness of not having that in my life anymore.

80. It is great to read about how another student deals with the demands of University and makes it fun and a part of a loving life. Thank you

81. Self care is paramount no matter what environment or situation you are in on a day to day basis and the state your body is in will determine the quality of what ever task or job you are required to perform

82. To focus on only learning or working is not enough it might give your grade marks or more money but if your are not connected with how your body feels and able to connect to other people, to be open and loving, than you set yourself up for depression and exhaustion or other diseases.

83. It is definitely worth challenging the current way that education is promoted in university, because it seems to go hand in hand with being neglectful of oneself at the needs of the university to show its own success, after which the student is expected to go out in to the world with their qualification and continue in the university’s claimed achievement, but when does the student’s well being become the paramount important subject? And what are we really getting a qualification in, if we cannot care for ourselves amongst the pressures of adult life?

    1. Great questions Shami. I have seen in my own life how I often chose to not care for myself over achieving or getting things done. The more I learn how great it feels in my body to be self loving and self caring, the more I am choosing this now every day over getting everything done. So I feel it is the same with the university, we are so used as a society to be focused on achieving and results that it is seemingly forgotten we can choose a totally different way with self love and care.

84. Lieke on re-reading your blog I feel the super supportive tips you gave can be applied to anything we need to do in life. Thank you.

85. Powerfully awesome to read this Lieke. What I will take home from your blog is that regardless of what we ‘do’, we all have the opportunity and ability to deeply value ourselves first and foremost – well and truly before and outside of any task, outcome or sought after achievement. And you’ve shown us, how through the way we choose to live, this innate value can be something that ever deepens.
    My foundation is strengthened and confirmed in reading your blog Lieke, along with the depth of my appreciation for the work of Serge Benhayon and Universal Medicine, and the plethora and consistency of teachings which remind and awaken us to the very real possibility of living with such a solid and real foundation.

86. I know that there was an idea that if you didn’t push yourself to exhaustion, or breaking point, then you hadn’t really done your best. This notion needs to be turned on it’s head.
    The more students who do well, have balanced lives and who don’t need a course of anti-depressants to finish their courses, the more self care will become the norm. How glorious it will be when the student who burns the candle at both ends is seen as the misguided one and the self caring, self nurturing student is the role model.

87. I agree Shirley-Ann, students have so little experience of this kind of honouring of oneself – back last millenium, University was all about who could trash themselves the most, then pull the all-nighter to get the assignment in or pass the exam.. like a badge of honour. Drugs were fairly common back then, but are now completely ‘normal’ as a chemical boost to drag the body through to the end. but there were no students that reflected the wisdom of true self care, none to show that there was a way of living that supported themselves to stay true.. and there were so many students lost in the crazy lifestyle but deeply unhappy at the same time. So the reflection of a different way that is possible, is so important.

88. reading your article Lieke is beautiful – it seems you have brought the natural joy and fun back into your life which is possible for all, but rarely experienced because of the multitude of pressures the world tries to pound us with. But the foundation of self-care and nurturing you have established is a powerful tool to remain unaffected by the craziness of the world, and a way to bring yourself back if things do get too intense.

89. Yes and all just with being myself which is awesome!

90. We can often push ourselves, ignoring those little signs we get from our body, that are asking for us to take a break. I have found at work when I get to the point that things stop having a natural flow, if I take myself off for a ten minute walk its enough to refresh my connection with myself.

91. What really struck me about this was the understanding you have brought to what is truly important and the bigger picture that is at play. With this understanding you are able to truly study what is needed without going into overwhelm around too much information. This is a great basis for truly bringing self love and self care to your studies and put aside all those false thoughts around not being able to study enough or not doing enough. To me this is true for all of life. If we connect to the bigger picture and what is truly important we are able to bring all that is needed without overwhelm or self doubt ever having a place.

92. Awesome point Jonathan “hindsight cannot change the past but it does bring a wisdom to do things not only differently and more importantly the opportunity to heal the cause of why one chose to waste that opportunity in the first place.” This deserves a repeat!

93. I love your blog Lieke ! I love that you wear beautiful clothes when you are studying, even if you are not going outside ! Thank you for sharing.

94. Lieke I love how you have made your study part of your life instead of all of your life. You are breaking the standard that in study years you have to study hard, party hard and not take care of yourself at all till after. You are showing not only that it is important to take care of yourself while studying to prevent you from coming out exhausted at the other end but also that it makes you feel amazing while you do it.

95. This is such a reflection of all of life Lieke, if I care and nurture myself I can feel what needs to be done right now and that might be simply resting rather than doing what my head tells me must be done because its on my ‘to do’ list. Great blog

96. I feel what you’ve shared here Lieke is relevant to how we are with everything, whether we’re a student, a worker, a parent, home renovations…you name it. The way we care for ourselves determines how we do all these other things – the quality in which we do them. The more care we give to ourselves, the more care we can give to our work and other responsibilities…and it feeds us back…a cycle.

97. Wow, this line really stood out for me “I did not always listen to the little signs when my body was asking me to stop and take a break or do something else for a moment.” How often I did this when I was studying, to not stop and listen to my body and what it was telling me. But actually I could say that in more general terms as well, not just when relating it to study, when working too long, pushing through tiredness, getting into ‘doing’ things just because. It is really a conscious choice to stop and listen to what the body is saying. I am stilling, every day, learning more about this, listening to myself. Some days I do and some days I still ignore. I then feel the outcomes of my choice and it very often feels awful. So it does help to recall these moments, to then bring deeper awareness to my next choice to self honour!.

98. Lieke, you offer many invaluable study tips here, stand out was staying present while you were studying and this allowed you to better discern the subject and what was important for examination. The presence while studying you are applying also sounds two fold – focusing on the material without distraction and staying in relationship with your own body at the same time. Work or study it is easy to get so focused on the task it becomes more important than how we are sitting, if we are thirsty, need to eat or use the bathroom and when to take a break etc.

99. There would be great benefit in all university courses having a module in self care and practical measures that can make the studying experience less of an ordeal and more caring. Self nurturing is an exceptionally important part of all our lives and it makes a lot of sense that we become experts at this in the most practical ways possible, becoming very aware of how we feel within our bodies within the University experience.

100. You have nailed it to the point, Lieke: How we are with ourselves is the basis for everything else. For if we do not manage to see what we need, how on earth should we be able to see what is needed in any part of our lives.

101. Lieke it is truly inspiring to read how you are managing the demands of university study, by making self loving choices that are honouring of your body.

102. This is a beautiful sharing Lieke and I agree with :”I realised that when I am present with myself, as in not thinking about anything else while I am studying, I ‘just know’ what parts are important and I do not have to know every little detail and every page from the inside out to pass an exam.” Being present is absolutely the key and actually applies to everything in life.

103. Lieke, I am not surprised by all these wonderful comments, you definitely are a role model for all students of how to study and not loose yourself in all that is asked by the University. “The most important thing I find about living life and studying in University is knowing that everything is equally important, so that studying is as important as for instance exercising, cooking, spending time with friends, doing the dishes and spending time with myself.’ ” This is very inspiring for all of us, thanks for this awesome reminder.

104. “The most important thing I find about living life and studying in University is knowing that everything is equally important, so that studying is as important as for instance exercising, cooking, spending time with friends, doing the dishes and spending time with myself.”
     When we bring a presence to everything we do in our day, no one thing becomes more important than another, from sweeping the floor to sitting for an exam. What a concept to consider and feel in our body. This feels like true commitment to life Lieke

105. “After realising this I asked myself; can I study, care for, love and nurture myself at the same time? Wouldn’t this be a much greater way to study?” I love these questions Lieke and yes this is a fantastic way to bring ourselves into study and life itself. I feel that your blog is very inspiring in the age of many students struggling with burnout and stress during exams and their schooling life in general. Sharing such beautifully simple and practical tips for students all over the world. That’s awesome thank you.

106. I am seeing what happens to people at work when they don’t live in the way you have shared here Lieke. Not dissimilar to the pace of study and exams, I work in environments where there are peaks for extended periods of time with lots of unknown or unexpected factors to deal with, and yes they need to be managed and rectified. But what I see in this time, is people not looking after themselves in how they work, eat, rest, etc and to alleviate the pressure from the day or week, use sport, food or alcohol for relief. which doesn’t support them either. Productivity goes down as people lose their clarity, they are exhausted and wanting the project to be over (not unlike wanting exams to be over) and quite often, people get sick, injure themselves or have accidents. It is a pattern I see often in workplaces, and used to be in myself, until I changed the way I live and work as inspired by Serge Benhayon, that truly supports me to be in a very busy environment with constant demands without losing myself in it or not looking after myself.

     1. You have highlighted something so important Sandra – the peak and trough mentality. Exams breed this warped way of perceiving life. There is the tremendous push, with all effort directed towards a moment in time, then a trough on the other side. I recall feeling dreadful post exams, worse than in the build up. I always thought that there was something wrong with me, but now I can understand that in that low period I was feeling the repercussions of the intensity. It carries on into business, but nothing in life works like that. There are cycles to be sure but they are never frantic followed by a slump. The way Lieke has described study is in absolute keeping with life, nature and universal laws.

        1. Good point Dr Rachel Mascord BDS. Some cycles are intense but in that intensity we can still take care of ourselves, and importantly, when we know the intense period is coming (which we usually do – work deadlines, exams, etc), prepare ahead of time for it, so we’re more able to deal with it. And then following the intense time, give ourselves time to rest and work at a less intense pace.

        2. Great discussion! I find that whatever is going on if I drop my routine which supports me because of this intensity I will feel less well straight away or a little after. For example I had a very busy week last week and needed to stay longer at Uni. Which is fine but I could feel I overrode the feeling of having to have dinner and this I felt in the evening by feeling less amazing. Like Rachel said you have to stay with life, nature and the universal laws. One of those laws for me is listening to my body.

107. A great blog, Lieke, I can remember that stressful time I had with exams because I never had a good memory – I was only ever good at subjects where we had to work things out, and interesting that you point out the self-defeating thoughts we all have about not having enough time or not being able to remember it all. I love that you allow the ‘knowing’ of what is important to study – we all have access to a far greater resource of knowledge than many of us appreciate and Universities don’t really tap into that.

     1. Yes Carmel reading your comment it is interesting indeed to notice that we all have these self-defeating thoughts. It seems like no body really knows how to study without these! I am learning more and more to not choose those thoughts as they are not true and not supportive of doing my studying.

108. I love how you don’t leave yourself behind, so to speak, with the studying Lieke. It makes sense that we’re more present and efficient when we take care of ourselves and not just focus solely on passing the exam.

109. It is so important to live your life in a naturally healthy way whatever stage you are at. It seemed when I was at university, that you were expected to throw yourself into studying at the expense of everything else then come out the other side and begin to live your life. But there is always going to be a reason to deny yourself the space to live well. We only have now to live. We should never live in a way that longs for another time to love ourselves and live better.

     1. Very true Amanda: “We only have now to live. We should never live in a way that longs for another time to love ourselves and live better.” I am starting to notice, in my 24 years of life experience, that if I think I will make time for myself to be loving and nurturing in the future, it never happens. I am now building love and nurturing moments into my everyday living and I find the more I commit to do something when I feel to do it at any moment, the more I stop delaying things.

110. Lieke I love that you are embracing the education system to gain the qualifications that you need, but at the same time you are aware of the dangers of losing yourself within it and taking steps to care for yourself deeply so this does not happen. It would be great if self care was taught at University in this way to raise awareness about how others can do this for themselves.

111. I can easily imagine how different attending school and university would be if we did as you suggest Lieke which is to love, care for and nurture our selves whilst attending to our studies. How much easier would it to be to learn if we were to actually take care of ourselves rather than disregard ourselves. This is so simple but life changing if applied.

     1. Yes I can feel Elizabeth that by living very gently with ourselves could make learning a totally different experience, and bring a sense of joy back to the process making it clearer what to take from your studies as worth being a part of your living or simply accept it as information available.

        1. Yes Elizabeth, the whole studying at universities is build on getting it done under pressure which results in doing things with stress and tension. Reading your comment makes me feel how this could be done in a completely different way when we would all make gentleness our first and foremost focus. No pressure needed as in gentleness I know I will do what is needed naturally – there would be harmony in universities.

112. This is so awesome Lieke, it is extremely loving and supportive the way you choose to live and study. I remember when I was studying at University I always left everything until the last minute, rushing and staying up all night to get a project finished. I felt exhausted but I would repeat it again and again for the next project. Crazy to look back to see how unloving that was. Your blog is very inspiring and would be very supportive for other students to read.

113. Not only is this relevant to students at University but also kids at school. The truth is kids can get totally stressed, sick and in a mess with their exams, even before exams – with levels of homework etc . It would be great for schools to run self- care / support groups, your well being at exam time. In saying that if this was generally presented all throughout school and life as we grew up, just something that was our normal each and everyday – then there would be no need, but as the world currently stands this is an amazing opportunity to start.

     1. This is where it all starts gylrae, at school. How can we expect to have adults in workplaces who look after themselves and support others to do the same, when from school age it’s been the opposite.

        1. Actually it really starts at home, being part of our love, care and commitment to ourselves and others and if this was the priority in our family, then every one of us will take this out to our bigger family in our daily lives.

     2. Yes well said gylrae, it would be not needed if the world would be organized in a totally different way, in which there would not be so much focus on exams as the most important thing. As you said for now it is very beautiful to start bringing self-care and love into schools and universities.

     3. Thank God you are a teacher Gyl, and that there are other teachers who like you know that you are building the next generation of adult people – not just filling little receptacles with knowledge.

     4. Kids at school getting stressed is no longer reserved for senior years either. I met a ten year old stressed about the examinations that determine where she could go to high school. Self-care is a great start, fundamental to this is getting to know our essence, breaking down the emphasis that is given to what is done and achieved, and put into the perspective of the quality we do things in, if our bodies are looked after as we do something and if it’s also with respect to other people.

114. Reading your inspirational list again Lieke I felt to share that this list should be given to each and every student who are studying no matter what age group. It is equally as important as the test paper itself. To have alert, joyful, healthy and inspirational students taking exams would be a shock to the educational system I feel.

     1. Yes Marion, having an introductory course on “self care” at the beginning of first semester would be so very supportive for students and have the potential to completely change their experience of university. What Lieke has outlined in her article is incredibly empowering.

     2. Yes it would be a total new paradigm and would turn current university learning trends on their heads

     3. Yes very true the self-care and love is “equally as important as the test paper itself.” This would completely turn the education system around as how it is designed now is almost to get everything done, in whatever way.

115. ‘I have found that when I care for, love and nurture myself first and foremost, I can study in a way that is much more efficient and fun.’ Thank you Lieke, I am studying for the first time in many years and found your article very inspiring.

     1. Awesome, I would love to hear how you go.

116. It is horrific how many students punish themselves through these years of learning at the expense of themselves. This is needed here the most, as if you don’t begin the self care here, it will only continue when you are working in a job.

     1. Gail you describe my experience here. I ‘punished’ myself through years of learning and continued this momentum though out my career. I then paid the price of allowing years of self-neglect with several serious illnesses. Fortunately I eventually heard Serge Benhayon present and became aware of the importance of self care and self-nurturing. This has been life changing.

        1. I was exactly the same Anne, punishing myself through my studies until such a point that I graduated a wreck. I am back at university now, having the opportunity to do it all again, but this time so very differently. What is very obvious is that courses are structured with an angst and tension built in to them. It is expected that you will feel stressed and anxious, that it is a sign of being a “good” student. Well to heck with that! I have no intention of being a good student, especially when it is to my own detriment. The administrators of this course are getting me, and I am taking care of myself, inspired by Lieke.

        2. Well said Rachel, they better be prepared! I just started my new term this year and can see this too, that the courses have tensions built into them. The time is if you look at it realistically way too short to do everything that is needed in a way that is of true quality.

117. Taking care of our self first should be the new master plan for every one. Lieke’s list should be on every refrigerator door in everyone’s kitchen everywhere!

118. Hear hear Jane, I absolutely agree. Having returned to study a few years ago and now completed the course, the one major huge thing that was missing was how to take care of ourselves – this was never touched upon once during the year, or in my early undergrad course. It was all focused on ‘doing’, and people were a mess if I’m honest, myself included at times. As you say, self-care is paramount in all areas of work, and in daily life too.

119. Great that you have come to the understanding about living life and studying at University, ‘that everything is equally important, so that studying is as important as for instance exercising, cooking, spending time with friends, doing the dishes and spending time with myself.’ I love what a world of difference you taking care of yourself has made to support you.

120. ‘The most important thing I find about living life and studying in University is knowing that everything is equally important, so that studying is as important as for instance exercising, cooking, spending time with friends, doing the dishes and spending time with myself.’ I found this paragraph very inspiring Lieke, for us all to apply to our lives, whether we study or not, as everything we do, and the presence, love and care we bring to it then lays that foundation for what we focus on next, making no task more or less important than another.

     1. Yes I heard that one quite clear as well. And it does not matter if it is study or any life event – there needs to be a balance otherwise we fall over.

121. Lieke, what you have presented should be shared with all students. It brings back the joy in study and reminds one that everything in ones life needs to be held as equal and important as others. When we hold and treat ourselves with love we then feel our potential and know we are capable of achieving our tasks.

122. Lieke, it sounds like you have found how to study with God.

123. Lieke I am sure there will be many students who will be so inspired by what you have taken the time out to share your ‘Study and Self Nurturing Plan’. Self-care in University should be a study of its own. Yet truly your commitment to study without compromising your body and how you feel, provides a reflection for others, in all aspects of life

     1. Yes that could be a whole course on its own in any study we do.

     2. That would be incredible Yasmin, a subject itself based on tutorials where students share their experiences of what works for them. The day will come when every course will offer this as part of its curriculum. That way we produce professionals who know how to care for themselves.

124. Wow Leike I wish I could have read this when I was studying at university, I found the whole experience so loveless and meaningless I left after the first year. If I had taken more responsibility for myself care and love I am sure I would have been able to be more myself within the campus life, rather than feeing very alone and uncomfortable.

125. Absolutely Katie. Lieke is showing all university students that there is another way to do uni. A way that first and foremost cares for yourself. I know that the self care developed with this approach to university will then carry over into your professional life following university, ensuring that this foundation of self care and nurturing is maintained.

126. What a beautiful way to go through university Lieke. Developing a balance between study and everything else that is required to support you and not pulling the all night cram sessions before a big exam. I can feel in the approach you have developed that there is a consistency and sustainability, a solid foundation, that will serve you well, long after you have finished university.

     1. I agree Lee, this blog feels so solid and very loving. What an inspiring way to live.

     2. Yes I agree Lee – with such a beautiful studying program Lieke has laid the foundation on which to build a consistent and sustainable life that will be truly fulfilling and of service to everyone. I find the blog most inspiring and intend to build these qualities more deeply into my own life.

127. So true Lieke, the way we are with ourselves is the basis for everything. If we neglect ourselves, we will never find the stillness and joy that we are all searching for.

     1. True Michael Kremer, “the way we are with ourselves is the basis for everything” the choice of self-care and self-love or the choice to neglect our self is reflected in everything that we do.

128. ‘I have found that when I care for, love and nurture myself first and foremost, I can study in a way that is much more efficient and fun.’ This is gold Leike and as a student very inspirational to read.

129. When we go into exam time, or end of semester handling papers in time, we usually forget what that taking care of yourself is really important. You focus on what your body delivers, not how you treat it. It is not that we stop to study ourselves. The problem is what we do is we study how much we can push, how can we sustain the pushing, and we even dare to judge us for what our body delivers. We never study how to nurture ourselves, how to avoid getting all the stress on, how the body’s delivery quality could accordingly increase. This would be a learning for life. Instead, passing an exam is just that. Another box to tick in the journey somewhere.

     1. Very true Eduardo. Learning how to take care of ourself. To avoid taking on all the stress and other factors that limit and get in the way of expressing our fullness. And even more, how to turn around possible long term harming patterns. These are “learning for life”. The various studies and exams that we have at Universities and for learning a trade can provide useful skills and information to engage with society, however the ‘learning for life’ is what provides the actual foundation for our life.

130. What great awareness you have gained by being present and honouring, caring, nurturing and loving yourself, ‘This is very powerful. I realised that when I am present with myself, as in not thinking about anything else while I am studying, I ‘just know’ what parts are important and I do not have to know every little detail and every page from the inside out to pass an exam.’ Far more efficient and freeing up of time for activities you choose.

131. Lieke, this is a beautiful article. I love how you have transformed your time at University from one of disregarding to one where you have fun and honour yourself for the very tender, delicate and joyful woman you are. Truly inspirational.
     A must read for those about to go to, or attending university.

132. ‘This is very powerful. I realised that when I am present with myself, as in not thinking about anything else while I am studying, I ‘just know’ what parts are important and I do not have to know every little detail and every page from the inside out to pass an exam.’
     I absolutely love what you share here Lieke. What you describe here shows how we can tap into the absolute wisdom that resides within us all, when we are living in absolute connection with ourselves and bringing that in full to what we are doing. Our perspective becomes much broader, we see far and wide, we are not limited to what’s right in front of our nose. Feels so expansive.

133. “By taking care of myself first, I feel more solid in myself and am much more able to see the requirements of the university, and make a choice how to work with them.” Lieke I love how in this statement you bring it back to a choice about how to be within the system. I’ve worked (and studied) within universities for over 20 years and while the current system needs changing I too know there is a way to be me within it by as you say, taking care of myself. There is no care in universities as a whole as they increasingly become just another business so it is very easy to get caught in the push to achieve and the stress that entails. Most academics I know live on coffee and adrenalin in an ongoing cycle of doing what’s needed to meet the next deadline. Introducing self-care is very much needed in universities at all levels.

134. I love what you have shared here Deborah, I was very unloving with myself through University. I drank and lot, stayed up all night doing assignments, drinking coffee all night and generally being very unhealthy. To have had the awareness, love and insight you have shared here, would have made my experience at Uni a very different and much more self caring and loving one.

135. Trying to achieve results over listening to my body and what it needs was something I did when younger and only now since undertaking more study, am I realizing what you share so beautifully here Lieke. Giving all areas of life equal importance is my focus now so when I come to do my study, it is something that is not categorized or put into a box that changes it in any way, and just seen as something that needs my loving attention and focus.

136. An inspirational blog! I see this even more broadly than just for study: It is possible to have a full life, covering all aspects of life at once, taking lovely care of ourselves first and foremost. I still fall into the illusion of thinking that I can only focus on a couple of aspects of life at one time, leaving the others in disregard. But the truth is that when we are fully present and engaged with life, it doesn’t need to be a struggle! And we can devote a little time to each area regularly.

     I love what you shared about not needing to know every detail but rather grasping the bigger picture and knowing what parts are important. Which then allows you to have more time for being with people and working.

137. Every person studying should read this blog – it is awesome. I would focus on study at the expense of everything else and so there would be no balance in my life, not to mention it feeling boring… I love here how you have claimed the importance of all aspects of your life so that you feel nourished and connected to yourself.

138. When we perceive we are under pressure concerning a specific outcome, a reaction to this is often to concentrate on that issue alone. This can often lead to exhaustion and dissatisfaction. What you say here concerning balance is very supportive “The most important thing I find about living life and studying in University is knowing that everything is equally important…” When I have something I feel requires my attention, I am now learning to make sure that it becomes part of my everyday life, I do not stop everything else to get one piece of work done. Treating everything in more equality really supports my quality of life.

139. I had no idea how to handle the many pressures of university life, the studying, partying, social dynamics, needs for recognition etc etc. It was all a mess, but how was I living before I entered in to university? What understanding of life did I bring with me in the first place? These questions put me as responsible for the way that I approached the study, just like Lieke, except that Lieke is actually taking that responsibility, whereas I just fell apart.

140. The teachers are gold project is fundamentally important because schools are at the centre of life in almost every town.

     1. Schools are the center of life for not only the children, but for the parents also and all the people (teaches ) who work there. We all need to be role models for our children, as children learn by reflection. It only takes one person to be reflecting self-care which can have a ripple effect for so many others.

141. Lieke, this is a great blog, and relevant for so many, not just students, as we could relate it to many aspects of work or life.

     1. I agree Gyl, holding all our tasks as equal and bring God into all we do.

142. This says it all to me “I make sure I listen to my body” it can be easy at times to overlook one area of life while focusing on another, and our body and health suffers the consequences as the mind can over rule yet the body in lovingly honest, thank you for what shared here Lieke.

143. The way we are studying effects also the way we start than working once we finished studying. If you exhaust and disregard your body and yourself this will continue when you start working in the new field. I work in a clinic and see many patients who suffer under exhaustion because they have not listened to their body for a long time and suffer the consequences eventually.

     1. Yes that is a great point Janina. The way we are living whilst studying is not simply disappearing in thin air when we start working. It is something I think many people do not realise yet. I feel with how you are studying you set the foundation for how you will be working in that profession too. This is one of the things I remind myself of when I feel I get a little tensed and tend to drop things that are important too. It is not worth it to live with less love in a moment because we have to finish something. It is for sure a continuous learning for me to bring care and love to all that I do what ever is going on.

        1. I agree Lieke, for me this is also an ongoing learning process to choose love and care first and than do what ever needs to be done. And not the other way around. Yesterday being caught up again in function and doing i read an amazing quote from Serge Benhayon. It said through everything we do we can connect deeper with the love and divinity we are or not. I realized that i still hold the believe that only when i do nothing i can hold a connection with me. And when i do something i can’t hold the connection. This is how what i have lived in the past and know that this is not the truth. But a choice we need to make again and again to choose our loving connection and do everything in this quality.

144. “This is very powerful. I realised that when I am present with myself, as in not thinking about anything else while I am studying, I ‘just know’ what parts are important and I do not have to know every little detail and every page from the inside out to pass an exam.” Once we not only spin in the wheel of making study as the most important aspect of life and forgetting ourselves and to self care, it has an effect on the way we are able to learn much more effective.

145. There is so much in this article. I am a student myself and I can relate to much you have shared Lieke. What you have written here is so valuable and actually of great use and support. What you shared about: that everything is equally important. This for me illustrated and diminished the belief (lie) that we have fallen for.. that once we are a student – study is the most important thing in our life and deserves the most attention. As within this believe we seem to completely forget the truth and essence of who we are and the fact that we actually need to take care of ourselves – this is what your blog so beautifully reveals. The other point you shared, so beautifully: ‘..Instead of feeling that I am a very tender, delicate, joyful woman who needs care, love and nurturing as my foundation, to then be able to do other things like studying without going into disregard for myself and my body’. This is gold. I wish I could tell every student what you share here with us. Disregard is so common and especially amongst ourselves at the campus, studying hard and if we have some spare time left, we seemingly tempt to disregard our body deeper (drinking much alcohol, late night parties, fast-food), actually everything contrary to what you share here with us that is supporting you to feel your body and who you are while doing everything that needs to be done – and by even enjoying it! That to me is real gold, a freedom of the imprisonment that we as students can find ourselves in.

146. Thank you Lieke, this is hugely important and changes our quality of life immeasurably – ‘The most important thing I find about living life and studying in University is knowing that everything is equally important, so that studying is as important as for instance exercising, cooking, spending time with friends, doing the dishes and spending time with myself.’

147. “This leaves me feeling alive and connected to people around me.” This is a line that struck me Lieke, as it highlighted for me the ways in which I have been disconnected to people around me during exam period, for all the reasons of thinking I have too much to do in too little time and so relationships and connection with people completely go out the window. However what I have come to realise is, how this actually denies the opportunity to be open to a great deal of support that I could get from the people around me and that by being disconnected to people, I am also disconnected from myself and therefore the revision comes with a struggle.

148. Thank you so much for this Lieke, it is so beautiful for me to see others who are now studying at University that know a different way of going about it to the norm. When I went through I definitely abused and compromised my body, as I did not know another way for the most part. I started receiving support by way of the teachings of the Ageless Wisdom and Universal Medicine towards the end of my training, and moreso when I started working directly after. The principles of self-care and the development of self-love and nurturing as presented have been key for me. I was exhausted by the time I finished university, and did not realise it. Then going into intense full-time work meant I needed a lot of support for my body. I have worked to rebuild a strong foundation for myself in my body, and now returning to study for further exams know I can do this in a different way. Thank you so much for your wise sharing here Lieke, it was very important for me to read today, and I am sure will inspire many others likewise.

149. Wow, an amazing last line about caring for ourselves first, and then bringing that to the world in what we do. Thank you Lieke (:

150. Lieke when I see, in recent experience, the way many work in University with the focus on the knowledge yet a lack of understanding about the care for the quality of person doing the work, its very eye opening. You’ve set a foundation for how students across the world can approach University in a healthy and supportive way.

151. Very inspiring to read Lieke how you have changed the way you study, to a more balanced and loving way. Well done! To actually enjoy studying and make it just another part of your day, like working, interacting with others and having a bath… is a completely different way than how I studied and hear others talk about studying. This is something that would be great in any start up guide to studying.

     1. I agree Aimee. I remember when I studied Sociology, writing my final written work. For 9 month I focused like a mad person on that project and neglected myself, my relationship and my body. At the end I felt depressed, racy, disconnected and knew that something went very wrong…

        1. Thank you Janina, that is a very honest reflection. I can relate to that. I sometimes push myself too far. I can do a lot in studying but it is that moment when I make it the all important thing and choose to not care anymore for myself that it is really crushing to put so much effort in doing something.

152. So simple, so accessible and so applicable to whatever it is we are filling our days with, be that study, work, caring for young children or resting. And the swing version of not taking care is, I know (lots of experience here!), a hamster wheel of treading water, coping and making do. Thank you Lieke for stating the obvious that is not our statistical norm!

153. Hands and feet up for your point Lieke to put on clothes that we feel beautiful in while studying. Feeling beautiful while studying, simply because we feel beautiful, don’t we deserve to express it the same as when we have a date out and devote the same quality and presence while getting dressed? How often do we disregard how we look because other things are more important, and because we have first disregarded our body and therefore feeling the disregard, we are unable to express the same quality in taking care of what we put on (unless we put a force on to do it in drive, which is not true). But when we do feel the beautiful quality we are already in with caring for ourselves, and dressing as such, we can only then build the momentum to the same quality while we sit ourselves down to study.

154. This point is pure gold—studying is equally as important as everything else in life, as life is a whole and everything is interconnected and interdependent. If we only focus on one area and neglect the others, the areas we disregard will equally affect the area we have devoted on. The culture in our city focuses heavily on studying, with a neglect on almost everything else in life, dismissing especially the connection with the body. The focus on the mind with a disregard to the connection with the body, creates a lot of stress and tension in studying, which then we have to further numb to not feel this stress and tension. If academia is seen to be only about marks, students come into society knowing how to compete and get to the top, but lacking in skills in life and connection, what kind of a world are we saying yes to then? This has given me a deeper understanding towards myself, life and people.

155. Lieke I have a great smile on my face reading your blog–the smile is from knowing this reflection you are living is changing so many lives, simply by your choice to self love and self care. Not only does this make studying more enjoyable, there is a quality and presence in the process that allows us to deepen being committed to life. How many students have experienced truly enjoying being present to University life? How many students choose to numb and check out with partying, booze and drugs because it was hard to handle the pressure and stress in exams? And how different it would be for the world if students entered society by being present, responsible and committed to life ?

156. How inspiring this is for others studying to read Lieke. I love the examples given by you of the ways you still deeply care for yourself and how this has supported you with your studies. “The most important thing I find about living life and studying in university is knowing everything is equally important”. A beautiful foundation for your future dentistry profession and a wonderful service offered to your future clients.

157. Lieke, this is an important article for students to read. The university is not interested in the health and well being of their students so it’s incumbent on students to take care of themselves while they are studying, and the pressure of deadlines, assignments and exams makes this very challenging. You’ve hit the nail on the head when you say that “The most important thing … is knowing that everything is equally important”.

158. Lieke I have no doubts your living wisdom will reflect on your fellow students. I daily see first hand the behaviour of students and their on going struggle with study: from slouching at their desk, drinking copious amount of coffee or red bull, eating stodgy food, studying late into the night (the doors close at midnight). It is no wonder that with the approaching exams the tension is palpable and arguments and confrontations arise from perceived slights. So Lieke continue on your way, there are bound to be some ripple effects.

159. This is such a lovely reflection about how it is not necessary to go into the hugely disregarding and self-abusive approach most of us have to studying at university or in fact to any other task that requires dedication and focus. “when I am present with myself, as in not thinking about anything else while I am studying, I ‘just know’ what parts are important and I do not have to know every little detail and every page from the inside out to pass an exam.” This is a great philosophy to have in every area of life.

     1. This is true Golnaz. We don’t have to go with the masses if they are choosing ways without self-honour, love or regard.

     2. Yes very true Golnaz, it applies to every area of our lives, we know a lot more than we sometimes accept.

160. “After realising this I asked myself; can I study, care for, love and nurture myself at the same time? Wouldn’t this be a much greater way to study?”
     This is a lovely reminder as I was getting rather stressed about an assignment due next week. What if I love and nurture myself instead? I will get back to you next week with a report on how it goes…:-)

161. ‘The most important thing I find about living life and studying in University is knowing that everything is equally important, so that studying is as important as for instance exercising, cooking, spending time with friends, doing the dishes and spending time with myself.’ There is so much wisdom in this sentence, to treat every area of your life with equal importance as each part supports the next.

162. “The most important thing I find about living life and studying in University is knowing that everything is equally important, so that studying is as important as for instance exercising, cooking, spending time with friends, doing the dishes and spending time with myself.” Lieke, this is a revelation that all students would do well to take note of. In truth, “the most important thing . . . about living life’ in general is knowing that everything is equally important and hence this revelation is for everyone no matter what the activity they choose to undertake.

163. Oh yeah, this rocks, I wish you could give a presentation at your Uni about this or make copies of this blog and put it on the notice boards… I would have loved to find this blog when I still was at Uni. So I’ll definitely share this on social media. Thanks, Lieke.

164. Dear Lieke van Haastrecht, I love the whole blog, but I especially like the line where you say thank you to Serge Benhayon and Universal Medicine: “who taught me to first love and care for myself before doing anything else”. And what an amazingly profound teaching that is; nothing is more important than you, or us, so to speak. Thank you for all that you are sharing here, there is so much in this; especially for me, as I’m working full-time and doing a study course as well.

165. The way Lieke is approaching her studies can also be the way a 6 year old approaches first grade. It has to start early, kids choosing to wear a jumper when it’s 10 degrees outside instead of toughing it out.

166. I love how this most important subject – how to support yourself while studying is covered in such awesome clarity and simplicity.
     I know I used to be very grades focused when I was studying, trying to beat others at all costs.
     The least important thing was how I got there.
     Now I know that how I do everything, and this includes study is the most important thing.

     1. This is a great point, everything we do is of equal importance not just the studying we do which we can easily get caught up in believing is “everything”, the quality of preparation or stress that I can feel going into an exam is actually effected not by the quantity of revision done, but actually the way in which I was during doing that revision

167. What a great blog Lieke and such great timing for anyone who is about to start University or go back into their next year. I could not agree with you more regarding taking care of yourself first and then studying.
     I have been studying this year and I never dreamt that at the age of 53 I would actually love it and that it really is not hard work. Like you Lieke I am forever inspired by the life and work of Serge Benhayon and a top tip he once presented about studying was we need to do enough and not try and push and do more than is needed. In other words you don’t have to get 99% to pass. What I have noticed is I can catch myself if I get carried away or think I need to do a bit more research which is coming from me not feeling enough in that moment. I also find that if I study without placing any pressure on myself in needing the qualification or a certain result, that way there is no investment in the outcome and it sure makes a difference. I am living proof having got 3 diplomas and now studying again so that I can continue to support more people through my work.

     1. That is indeed a top tip Bina. In university often doing effort is equated with being a good student. I am learning the same thing as you are, that I only have to do what is needed to be a dentist knowing what I am doing and why, no more and no less.

168. A young person told me her chosen routine to get through medical school and examinations was to prioritise study at the expense of everything else, including herself. She passed with excellent grades. But a consequence of this choice was considerable weight gain, which she’s now trying to lose, all because she believed she didn’t have time to cook for and nourish herself whilst studying. You show through your blog Lieke that it can be done, if equal importance is given to everything we do.

     1. This is the message that Leike delivers, that when studying or indeed working, that we give ‘all’ areas of our life equal importance…. which is super important in order to have balance and clarity and well being, through deeply caring for our bodies.

     2. I have prioritised study and work at the expense of everything else too so the other day I gave consideration to why we do this and understood that it is the false meaning that is attached to things like survival i.e.’if I don’t have a degree I won’t get a good job’, or over working out of fear of losing one’s job. The self-worth we attach to things outside of us to confirm or reinforce ourselves can also be a significant factor ‘if I fail then I am a failure’ or ‘if I can achieve x,y,z it means I am okay’, so it might give an identity ‘be someone’ or a skill so we can feel okay about ourselves. The moving goal post is a well known analogy – ‘I will look after myself when….’, ‘I will feel better about myself when…….’ Despite when never occurring, since the ‘when’ criteria keeps changing, our culture of ‘success’ still glorifies goals setting and an ‘it does not matter what you have to do to get there’ approach.

169. To bring self care, self love and self nurturing into our daily lives creates a beautiful foundation. The whole process you share with us Lieke makes so much sense and takes out the whole ‘stressful’ and anxious build up to wanting to do well and pass exams. To prepare ourselves with such tenderness first so no unexpected surprises will rattle our strong foundation. Thank you Lieke.

     1. Absolutely -to live with self-care brings joy to life and ensures that we are well-equipped for anything that comes out way.

170. Lieke your approach to exams is very much similar to how I am beginning to approach and appreciate my own everyday Livingness. I am finding the importance of self-nurturing ways that support me in the morning, and throughout my working day.

171. ‘In all this I find the way I am with myself is key to support me through University and life.’
     This is gold. So simple and so true.

172. ‘I realised that when I am present with myself, as in not thinking about anything else while I am studying, I ‘just know’ what parts are important and I do not have to know every little detail and every page from the inside out to pass an exam.’
     This approach would be so supportive to all school students. Unfortunately, with our current system, schools are very concerned about their results and their ‘ranking’ position. Consequently, there is a lot of rote learning, to ensure that students are ‘groomed’ to provide their answers in ‘such a way’ to secure favourable results, for them and the school. However, I feel this approach has a very negative impact. It becomes a competition about who is willing to play the game, jump through the hoops and do what they are told. If students were given more space to learn more creatively, more collaboratively with each other, the space to be seen for who they are as individuals, it may invoke a lot more engagement, enthusiasm and …. better results.

173. I love what you share here, Lieke ….. ‘The most important thing I find about living life and studying in University is knowing that everything is equally important, so that studying is as important as for instance exercising, cooking, spending time with friends, doing the dishes and spending time with myself.’
     I feel your message is so important, something that we can all reflect to the younger generations who are under so much pressure to perform. When I went to college, many years ago, about 12% of people went on to University. However, today, everyone seems to have a degree. In fact there are lots of young people feeling like one degree isn’t enough. Encouraging some balance, some stop moments feels very needed, rather than the all too present relief that so many seem to choose, numbing out with drugs and alcohol. Showing people that there is another way to ‘do’ Uni. Love it, thank you.

     1. I agree – this is such a gorgeous way to live life living with equal respect and importance for everything, especially at uni where there is so much pressure and you are told exams and assignments are all that matter, this is exactly what many people do need.

     2. When I see it in writing I am even more aware of the madness of the ever out of reach carrot that is our framework for life these days. One degree, one gold medal, enough money, this car, our kids…are never enough. We live with and accept a level of dissatisfaction that is more destructive than we can comprehend and all because we are looking and living away from a connection with ourselves, how we feel and what we truly need.

        1. Well said Matildaclark, and everything about our society we live in is geared to make you feel like you are never quite enough. The education and corporate world play on this ruthlessly to generate the drive be the super high achievers to be seen to be successful, or from fear to compete for the ever more tenuous job at the end; to make you seek higher degrees to fill their universities so they can make more money. Competitiveness between students is fostered by the exam system and the cut-throat course requirements which is deeply undermining and adds to the feeling of alienation and isolation so many students feel at university. All these things are designed to keep you from staying connected to yourself, or always in nervous tension or anxiousness, and feeling the lack – that you are not enough – to keep you constantly reaching for something outside of yourself to the detriment of connection and knowing what is true inside. It keeps the Universities in control of their income and students, keeps the corporations in control of their workers; it keeps the status quo of control in the world. In a sense we have exchanged the one time domination of the church with the domination of academia and the professional and corporate world, and the world of media. But at what cost.
           To subscribe to this paradigm means we will live in the constant chasing of something to confirm we are doing ok, which will only ever be a temporary thing, as in the process we are losing connection to ourselves and what we know is true inside. Many feel this but choose it anyway, because they can’t see there is another way. Many get burnt out, exhausted, disillusioned, but carry on. Many reach high positions in life, but become shut down inside, because they have settled for something less than the truth they once knew, and now have to defend what they have bought into. And in the end we all lose out because we have created a world that relentlessly drives these destructive patterns, and we all keep spinning harder to sustain them. And so now we have an unprecedented rise in mental illness, chronic exhaustion, cancer, and endocrine diseases all over the world. Is it possible there a connection? And is it time to take a look at how we live such that so many people in our communities and our families are destroying themselves through ceaseless drive or in silent hopelessness and misery?

        2. The carrot is always out of reach, it is out there, outside of ourselves, something to achieve, to keep us running after it. That way we forget that we don´t need all of that if we connect to ourselves, stop and feel our connection.

     3. Well said Alison, self care is not something that is talked about much and more and more pressure to do well and achieve. Isn’t it crazy that one degree is not enough!

        1. Self-care doesn’t appear to get a look in within our education system.
           It is important for young people to learn the importance of a balanced life and honouring ourselves in all that we do rather then living recklessly, just for today and treating our body as machines to spit out the next assignment or milestone. We fail to understand that the body we are ill-preparing in this way is the body that we then rely upon to do life.

174. ‘It was also about the thoughts I allowed at times whilst studying, and how I treated myself. I would have thoughts such as “I will never pass this”’ and “I have not studied enough so I am very bad,” instead of feeling that I am a very tender, delicate, joyful woman who needs care, love and nurturing as my foundation,’
     I could have written those very words, Lieke. I also chose a pattern of disregard when I was at college, many many years ago. I only really studied right before the exams, and because I’d chosen not to put the work in, consistently, throughout the term, I could feel the disregard in my body which manifested in me feeling very negatively towards myself. I was also putting myself under a lot of pressure, trying to cram so much into such a small space of time and it was all such a game. Everything I learnt was only really retained for a short period of time, because I was cramming, rather than taking your, far more loving approach, which was to look at the bigger picture and bring understanding to everything I was learning, then it stays with you.

     1. I didn’t go to University but I can relate to all you have said Alison about how you studied. This is very much how I would study or get any assignments completed at school. There were the negative thoughts of ‘I’m going to fail anyway’ or ‘I can’t remember anything’… I felt like a lived in a fog and couldn’t retain anything. And then 20 years later doing some online study, the pressure and stress returned. When I shared this with some friends they really helped me to see, like Lieke did, that if I put all my energy and effort into one thing, everything else suffers.

        1. Well summarised drop of Gold Aimee – ‘if I put all my energy and effort into one thing, everything else suffers.’ When it came to studying and exams I would always drop everything else and I can do the same now and put all of my energy in to one thing, like work or a project. Even in the balance of one day I can lose the commitment to all equally and it is usually exercise that I forego. I make it okay with words like ‘it’s just one day and this has to get done’ but what this allows is an attitude of outcome before quality, result before self-love and sets up a cycle of living with less responsibility to all areas in life on every day. This blogs speaks for what it is to commit in full to life whatever that may include at the time such as parenting or study etc.

        2. Yes Aimee and Deanne, the ‘it’s just for one day’ is very illusional. What I realised is that life is not what we think it is about. We often think it is about doing things and completing things, but what I found is that it is first and foremost about deepening love, equally for myself and others. So yes I agree, not doing a self-loving activity in the day like exercising just to get something done is not the way. I do this myself too at times but I can see how this in truth is not working.

175. Indeed they are wise words; keeps it all rather simple doesn’t it!

176. The reminder to give the same weight to how I cook and clean, to how I work or study, is such a powerful one – thank you Lieke. We do give more importance to some activities over others, which inevitably gives way to inconsistent behaviour and presence levels. For example, by not thinking ‘I’ll be happy when I sit down and eat’ and replacing it with ‘as I cook, I similarly enjoying when I eat’, means: that there’s no longer a rush to prepare a meal and then trying to get from it extra enjoyment by over eating (for example).

     1. So true Oliver. I grew up favouring certain activities over others, hating some and therefore never doing them such as vacuuming my bedroom. By doing this life was always a bit yo-yo-ey, never consistent. Making activities about how I am when I’m doing them is a new way nowadays, no activity is terrible because I get to still feel me when I’m doing them and so being consistent in my life is far more likely. All made possible because Natalie Benhayon and Serge Benhayon shared how they live and love.

        1. Living with consistency feels loving, supportive and offers stability to not only myself but the whole household as well. I remember also going for certain activities Suzanne that I liked doing more than others. I would make the ones that I didn’t enjoy into some huge hard arduous hurdle but would find if I just did them it was nothing like I had imagined in my head.

     2. Great point Oliver, I love it; enjoying being with myself when preparing the meal, rather than racing though to then sit and finally ‘enjoy’ the food. I can see how that leads to over eating. I just realised today too, how much I can enjoy my daily drive, instead of wanting to be at my destination already. I really appreciated the time to drive, sing, ponder, navigate through the traffic, appreciating being in the flow with everybody else. And I arrive very joyful and ready to go. Funnily enough the traffic seemed to flow much better too…

     3. This is so true Oliver – how many of life’s activities do we ‘rush through’ to get to another. An example for me is work. If I am thinking ‘only one more day to the weekend’ I know to stop and check myself. What is it about the weekend that is going to be more joyful than me in a day of work? It exposes what I am doing to compromise myself, or not allow myself to be that joy every day in work.

        1. Yes I know that one too Amelia. As it is friday today it is a great reminder to feel why I do feel like ‘oh just one day to go’. I love how you connect it with compromising yourself in your day. I am going to have an extra loving day today.

     4. I love what you have pointed out here, Oliver. Not only may we give more importance to certain activities, there may be some things that we do in our day that are so regular that we fall into a ‘pattern’ when we do them, and loose our presence altogether. When there are things that I don’t want to do, such as studying, I find I allow myself to get very distracted and the whole process becomes very disjointed and un-rhythmical. It would be so much more supportive if I chose not to allow myself to be distracted, but instead gave myself very regular breaks, maybe a few mins sitting outside and then got back to it.

     5. Yes such a great point Oliver. I found myself a day ago coming home and rushing into making my dinner as it was already late for…. yes for what exactly? It is so interesting how my thoughts at that moment were already rushing when there actually was nothing to rush for.

177. This is a great, informative blog. How easily we can earnestly strive for the picture of what we ‘should’ be doing and the result rather than listening to our body along the way.

178. Lieke, you have touched on something key here: that everything is equally important and that there is not one area more important than another in life. It is when we commit to all areas that life truly opens up to be lived.

     1. You took the words right out of my mouth Henrietta Chang, thief, thief! Jokes but seriously this comment is on the money as is this blog, it is so important to remember that quality in all areas is the key to unlocking the harder areas of life.

179. My behaviour has certainly fitted the patterns of studying to the almost total exclusion of everything else. I can become equally single minded about other things that need to get done. The emphasis has been on getting through things so they are completed and can be ticked off a list and have been carried out in disregard for the impact on my body. It has been a slow learning process to discard this old pattern. Sometimes I get it right and sometimes I don’t, but what I do know is that even though a task may span out over many days if I pace myself according to my body’s needs, it still gets done and there is less exhaustion and tension in my body along the way.

180. First and foremost caring for ourselves and then living and making our choices from this basis indeed will simplify our lives like never before. We will know what to do and say instead of struggling, stress will disappear and joy and ease will return to our daily life.

181. A beautiful blog to read Lieke, thank you for sharing. The education system has such a push and drive to it that self care etc are not generally ever spoken about when schools and universities are supporting students with their studies. A super powerful sentence to end your article Lieke -‘In all this I find the way I am with myself is key to support me through University and life.’

182. The whole culture of education is about putting knowledge and exams grades before our well-being, which becomes the foundation that people base their lives on thereafter. The reflection you provide to your peers Lieke is as valuable as anything taught by the university.

     1. Hear! Hear! jinya I totally agree with what you say here.

183. Studying and being at university is always for me considered as a time of disregard, with long hours of studying , bad food, and all night parties. What you bring via this blog Lieke is another way that brings self care when to going to university.

184. This is great Lieke, a revelation that turns around conventional ways of thinking about studying, or doing anything, ‘I realised that when I am present with myself, as in not thinking about anything else while I am studying, I ‘just know’ what parts are important and I do not have to know every little detail and every page from the inside out to pass an exam.’

185. Also Lieke what I love the difference of your approach to studying. Instead of trying to cram it all in to get through the exam you are learning because of what you will be doing in life. To gain understudying and ignite in yourself what is truly important. This is a very different way of being with the lessons that awakens a wisdom instead of only a learned knowledge.

186. Awesome blog Lieke that should be pinned on all Universtity walls. How many things in life do we use as an excuse to not care for ourselves? I know exam periods were that for me. I would make everything about the study and let my natural rhythm go out of the window. To make everything in life equally important is key.

187. What you share here LIeke is invaluable not only for students, whether they be school or uni, but for everyone going out into the workforce. To start our studying/working career with this foundation is gold.

188. This is a great question Lieke one that I never considered whilst studying but one that we can consider in in every day life in whatever we do be it study, working or parenting.

189. “I realised that when I am present with myself, as in not thinking about anything else while I am studying, I ‘just know’ what parts are important and I do not have to know every little detail and every page from the inside out to pass an exam.” Presence is the key to bringing lightness, space and understanding into everything we do, we don’t need to know the little details, life opens up for us and we know what to do. Thank you for sharing Lieke.

190. Cool blog made so much sense. I love what you have shared.
     You have made all these wonderful changes to honour yourself, through being present, self care, self love, nurturing and listening to your body. What a huge difference this makes to your body and life in studying this way. Bonus… you even have more time for other things you would like to do. How awesome is that… instead of all that pushing and being hard on yourself, negative talk and stressing. This blog should be on all the schools and universities etc… walls and shared out to many. This gives us all, such a clearer understanding, how simple loving choices and listening to our body…. can make, not only when we study…. but to ourselves in everyday life.

191. It is incredible to think that so many of us learn how to not take care of ourselves at university which establishes habits which so often carry on to into our working lives, when University could be a wonderful opportunity to prepare for working life and the reality of the world, not just in skills and knowledge learnt, but also in how to take deep care of ourselves. A true lesson that is priceless and very valuable for later life after university.

192. I agree gylrae it is just accepted as normal and even championed that students at university have to be exhausted, overwhelmed, stressed, messy, broke, sleep deprived and compensating for all of this by consuming huge amounts of alcohol and caffeine, partying hard and eating poor quality processed food! And maybe many of the teachers are not that much different having just extended their university days into their working life?! I know these are stereotypes and not all students or teachers would fit this description (I certainly did!) but nevertheless it is a very common picture and one that needs to be challenged. Is this really the only way to be at University?

     1. Absolutely great points here raised. I have observed that little has changed over the years with this mentality deeply engrained – there can be an expectation of living up to this university student ideal – which serves us well if we do not at that time wish to be responsible and would prefer to live recklessly without consideration for our future. I have also observed that this way of living can easily be a reaction to how we have lived throughout our teenage years in the lead-up – a reaction to feeling confined by the education system, perhaps by the way in which we were parented where we may have had little say, did not express how we felt and fell into the factory line of pressure to conform to become something, someone or reach a certain goal or score.

        1. Good point Deborah about our years at University being a reaction potentially to our teenage years. If we are not supported to honour and express ourselves during this time we are already feeling squashed, confined, confused and jaded with how life is compared to how we feel it could be. A pressure cooker just waiting to explode once we are given a little more freedom and independence. I know I thought that once I left school everything would be different and better. I remember I was disappointed to discover that in many ways University was just more of the same system. And even when I eventually left University and began my professional working life, I continues to encounter the same attitudes, politics, behaviours and problems that were present through my education.

        2. This is true Andrew. We can feel like we just need to get through something and then the grass will be greener on the other side …only to discover that if we don’t deal with the issues as and when they come to light, they are all there waiting for us in the next pasture.

        3. It is exhausting to consider the exhaustive ways in which we deplete ourselves over time. Do we continue to support a fatory-line of exhausted school-leavers and graduates to go forth in the world or does this model need to change?

        4. Spot on Deborah. I have also noticed an ingrained expectation of how University life ought to be so it is easy to drift into that way of being even before you start your course! And I recognise the reaction you talk about. It is akin to the cultures I have observed which after eons of oppression when they are faced with widespread freedom tend to descend into uncontrolled and abusive anarchy. These points show even more what Lieke raises here is Gold, about regularly taking the time connecting deeply with our self, taking care of ourself in every way, seeing the bigger picture and not losing ourself in the task, is such a great way to turn it right round and change our experience of University from an exhausting, hazy and at times intense experience to one of a joyful, purposeful, deeply satisfying and deepening experience which builds a powerful foundation that we can build on throughout our life.

        5. Beautifully said Golnaz. I was reflecting today about the level of control we often experience within the education system growing up and the feeling that this is out of our control. It is little wonder that after many years within this system one may seek relief if not rebellion from such long-term control and react to being free from it. In my experience, we may believe we are free of one controlled environment only to discover that we are immediately in another (at University for eg) – and hence the escalation in relief, escape and the waywardness we may see. ‘What Lieke raises here is ‘Gold’ for a self-empowered way to approach education is presented and taking responsibility for our lives and experiences we chose to have rather than living at the mercy of whatever comes our way by having adapted to the mode around us and playing the common tune.

        6. Well exposed Deborah. Without any reflection around us to say that the way we’ve gone about things simply isn’t right or true, and steeped in a system for so many of our formative years, we give up – pushing through without truly stopping to consider the ramifications. Until a true reflection comes along, as can be seen here in Lieke’s blog and many of the comments – and deeply inspired by all that Serge Benhayon is, represents and teaches – to show us that we needn’t live a life of self-abuse, and that there is actually another way – one of love, that can be practically chosen and confirmed in our everyday.

        7. The power of true reflection is undeniable – deeply healing and far- reaching to all, for the all. Serge Benhayon is a living inspiration reflecting Truth from every angle.

     2. So true andrewmooney26. I was so caught up in this as an undergraduate and was the picture of the typical uni student, not knowing that there was another way. What a beautiful example Lieke offers and a powerful reflection for those studying around her.

     3. Absolutely andrewmooney26, it is just accepted how this is, but why?

        1. Could it be that if we were to see it for what it is, abuse, then we too would have to address the comfort we are in and take the responsibility for the way in which we live our lives?

        2. A very great point Gyl Rae, choosing to stay in comfort and plead ignorance is an irresponsibility that we really need to address. Humanity is truly worth this.

        3. What you have said here Gyl is huge. Taking responsibility is just too big for some so the head is turned the other way. Comfort is seen as the pinnacle of achievement in society, the more comfort we have the greater success one has achieved.

     4. I definitely saw what you’ve described Andrewmooney26 at University when I was studying. If you didn’t do the same loveless acts as other people you would be left out of the picture. It’s pretty intense not only the studying but there were expectations to live in an abusive way, to party hard, to study hard and to completely loose ourselves in the process. Leike’s blog show us that there is another way to study and to live, very inspiring.

     5. I agree andrewmooney26 that the example with this common picture that students at university have is very un-supporting. This blog from Lieke is truly game changing and a must read for all students (and actually everyone, because this self-care and self-nurture doesn’t stop at university 🙂 )

193. I can remember studying at university and whenever exam time came along it was as if the outside world ceased to exist such was my narrow focus on passing my exams. I would also abandon all self care practices believing there was not time to even take care of myself e.g. go for a walk, eat or even have a loo break! This I remember was very draining and very stressful. Considering the bigger picture and balancing study out with other activities and staying in contact with the real world seems like a much easier way to do it, so thanks Lieke for your great presentation of how study could be.

194. Very inspiring Lieke. I could relate very much to the point you shared about choosing to wear clothes in which you both feel beautiful and comfortable. This is something I do too and it is such a loving supportive thing to do for myself. Holding each area of my life as equally important is something that I am developing and I am finding this to be really steadying.

195. Thank you Lieke. This is a hugely supportive article for anyone starting a course of study. A ‘how to’ guide with a difference – How to study and remain true to yourself with a deep sense of care and love that encompases the whole of life. I love how you mention that staying connected allows you to know what to study, that this connection aligns you to what is exactly needed. You have brought so much love and wisdom and described the true art of studying.

196. Yes, it’s interesting how the whole of education is riddled with exhaustion and overwhelm, which itself is sustained by a collective disregard and a sense of the people in education being of little worth or value, isn’t it, Gylrae? Teachers Are Gold is an amazing medicinal support for all teachers, everywhere in education: teacher appreciation will completely change the face of education, as Lieke has shown how her experience sustained here in a self loving way here.

     1. well said Gylrae and Coleen. If the teachers and professors are all in disregard, overwhelm and exhaustion that they will continue to do what they have been taught. There is no role model to do it differently and the collective acceptance of that this is just how it is done will not be broken. People like Lieke are actively showing a difference and with that provide a true role model.

        1. I agree Carolien and Lieke is without question a amazing role model to all women in the world no matter their age. Lieke has so much more to bring to this world and boy oh boy I am looking forward to that.

        2. Yes to that. And Lieke as a role model shows the impact of one person’s choices to change a tide of ingrained, unsupportive behaviour.

        3. I agree Matilda, Lieke’s amazing blog can support other students to start learning self love and self care and not putt their study above their own wellbeing.

        4. Absolutely Carolien, Lieke is a true role model for other students (and anybody else) in how study is a part of life but you have a choice as to how you approach it and work it into everything else in your life.

     2. I agree Coleen, teachers are indeed Gold; and need to be appreciated so much for what they can bring to our youth; it’s not just about getting top grades at all. Life skills are so much needed; hearing on the radio yesterday, that in Australia alone, over 8000 people attempt suicide every year, and about 2,500 are actually succeeding in killing themselves. So teachers need to be able to look after themselves lovingly, so they can pass that on to their students. Of course the parents play a huge role as well; I don’t want to put it all on the teachers of course either.

        1. ‘So teachers need to be able to look after themselves lovingly, so they can pass that on to their students.’ Absolutely, this is key. It seems we have been in a negative cycle with regards to teachers, everyone wants the ‘best’ teachers for their children and yet they have been historically undervalued and underpaid, as have nurses. Nothing will change unless teachers truly value and appreciate themselves first, in doing so, this will provide a true role model for their students and may inspire them to start valuing and appreciating themselves. What a different platform that would create to learn from.

     3. That is a great point Coleen, that the lack of appreciation keeps the lack of worth at the centre of the education system resulting in burn out and exhaustion. I love the Teachers are Gold project and what it is reminding us all of to bring the gold that resides within out and share it with others. Like Leike has shared an enormous difference can be made when we do self care and take responsibility for how we are treating ourselves. The difference is profound in all ways.

     4. Yes absolutely coleen24, appreciation is so important in everyones life. I feel it will for sure change the education system big time as I see so much disregard in how the students are with the teachers, but also how the teachers are with the students… It goes both ways and Appreciation from both sides will make a huge change in this.

        1. Yes, Lieke. I’ve been trialling an appreciation programme in my own classroom. Everyone lights up as we collectively share what we appreciate about each other The students were a little shy at first, but then they really started to connect with each other and the appreciation flowed oh so freely. So beautiful to feel and to see. The classroom felt so light and as though it were glowing afterwards!

        2. I love this Coleen24 so amazing to do that in a classroom! That would be a class I would love to take. Very inspiring.

        3. Wow Coleen, what a great incentive to bring to your students…I can see why the students would love this as it is a breath of fresh air for them in a world where this type of interaction would be rare.

        4. I love this Coleen24. True Appreciation for ourselves and for others is deeply nurturing and nourishing in itself. The possibility of a light and glowing classroom brings up a deep smile from within.

197. I agree with your article Lieke, it does need to be shared with all students – the pattern of exam stress was so overwhelming for me when younger I avoided any courses that required it. Now when I study I find taking self care and being well prepared is all thats needed.

198. Lieke, this is such a fabulous sharing. Speaking as one who, many years ago studied in complete disregard of my body and own tender self in order to get the best marks, I find what you express here as revolutionary for anyone who attends University.
     “By taking care of myself first, I feel more solid in myself and am much more able to see the requirements of the university, and make a choice how to work with them.” This is such an empowering statement, one which asserts your equality with the institution and a claiming of your own self regard. This up ends the way that most, if not all, engage in tertiary education. Thank you.

199. I love what you’ve shared here Lieke, and how it can relate to so much more than just studying at school as well. I can feel that pushing oneself to get work finished for a deadline can leave one exhausted and also deflated once that pressure has gone. Thank you for sharing, this is very inspiring for all.

200. Great blog Lieke, and I can certainly relate, although it can be a challenge to allow yourself the time needed to care and nurture during uni and especially exams, it is really important. It is easy to make life about study but when you take a step back, connect to yourself and realize that you are actually here too, a whole load of unnecessary stress just lifts of and allows you to be clear and focused on what is needed and what is not, rather than the fog that appears when it is all about study.

201. It is refreshing to hear how you study Lieke. That sounds like a very natural and balanced way to be in the world. A solid foundation of self-love, healthy nutrition, sleep, exercise, and love of people is a great antidote to a stressful life.

202. I love this Lieke. One of my favorite lines is “I find the way I am with myself is key to support me”. This is so true in all aspects of our lives. If we are harsh towards ourselves, it won’t matter what we have or the situation externally is, we will always feel that harshness. The same is true if we are light and loving with ourselves – no matter what the situation, we will have the love and lightness with ourselves as a foundation.

203. Absolutely Jane – this would be a supportive part of any educational program and could even be part of the course with check-in points during the course. The program could be rolled out to teachers too so that they can apply the same way of living and teaching.

204. What you’ve written here Lieke can be said for many workplaces – “In the past I have fallen for the belief that you have to focus only on your study in the exam period to achieve the best results, and this had a huge impact on how my body felt after the exams.” – many people focus only on work during busy periods and everything else gets neglected; out comes the junk food, late nights working, eating at their desk, no breaks, no exercise and then consequently, they’re exhausted, run down and often get sick with colds or viruses following these busy periods. It is seen as normal, yet it is far, far from normal, but very common when someone doesn’t have a foundation of self-love and self-care to rest on to support themselves during these times.

205. I love this Lieke – how you talk about studying for you is a great analogy for life in general – ‘I realised that when I am present with myself, as in not thinking about anything else while I am studying, I ‘just know’ what parts are important…..’. Life just flows when we make being present the focus.

206. There’s a definite belief hanging over most university campuses that studying for exams is an exacting, all-encompassing, exhausting experience. The word ‘finals’ even carries an unstated association with burn out. Yet your approach feels very balanced, nurturing and most importantly, in perspective. Committed not just to your course, but to You in your course. I love how you describe how being this way with your studies allows you to maintain that connection to what is truly needed from you rather than slavishly covering all bases ‘just in case’. Way better life skills to be developing than those of cramming and recall!

207. Lieke what you have shared in how you are approaching studying would be life changing for so many students-though I guess if the principles of self care, self love and a natural responsibility for the state of their body was there from an early age then when it comes to these more stressful times, which actually probably wouldn’t exist if the majority lived with this awareness, we would know naturally what how to treat ourselves 🙂

208. What you share here is gold Lieke. The pull at university to override ones own body and truth is super strong and one can actually feel as though they are almost doing something wrong by not studying when they ‘should be’ or putting in the number of hours that is thought to be required. You are a student, but also equally an amazing woman, friend, daughter, employee and most of all Son of God first and foremost and this is deeply inspiring to feel and to see.

209. I love this Lieke, how you break the mould and go against the trend. It takes a lot of courage and is truly revolutionary!

210. Totally agree Jane, Lieke has written a program that supports , nurtures and sustains students beyond university and well into working life and should “be part of DAY 1 of any professional or educational study program (or even prior to it).”

211. What you have described here Lieke is the universal medicine for all stressed out students. It is the balance that is needed in life no matter what we are doing. As you say inspired by the presentations of Serge Benhayon and Universal Medicine you have written a blueprint to a self reclaiming program that can be lived far beyond graduation . Well done. This is the way that real change can be made.

212. I can feel how narrow my focus was when I used to study. Everything became about learning enough to pass an exam only to forget it all immediately afterwards. Little did I realise that in focussing all my attention on my studies I was forgetting everything else going on around me including self care and nurturing relationships.

213. Thank you Lieke for your insight of what it’s like to study at university. “I gain more of an understanding of what is important to remember for the exam by studying the things that are important and making sure I understand the bigger picture of what is being taught.” Making sure you understand the bigger picture whilst at the same time maintaining your connection to yourself seems to make for a much more enjoyable learning experience and importantly, nurturing yourself throughout the process.

214. For many people, like myself, being a student was an extension of my teenage years, but with no supervision and a great deal more disregard. People tend to have a crazy time socializing until their exams then have a crazy time cramming in all the work in the last 6 weeks. The way that you are handling your studies is inspiring, for students or not. We can apply it in all areas of life and it would be great when the day comes when all education systems endorse loving lifestyle choices as the supportive foundation of learning that they can be.

     1. Yes Jinya, and to be applied to all areas of daily life.

     2. As Serge Benhayon once playfully suggested, without a loving lifestyle no chance to pass your exams as everything you have learnt is corrupted by the lovelessness lived. And who are we without love – just a head filled with knowledge.

     3. Yes indeed Jinya, “People tend to have a crazy time socializing until their exams then have a crazy time cramming in all the work in the last 6 weeks.” This I observe a lot and to be honest this was also a little bit what I expected of my University studies before I connected with the presentations and teachings presented by Universal Medicine. In society studying is presented as ‘the time of your life’ when you still can party and have fun a lot before the hard working/family life starts. I found this is such an illusion… I did not find the party life very fun and just saw a lot of dark dirty places with loud music and a horrible smell and as well I do not see why working/family life should be any less than our other parts of my life! If I live every day fully with me, all parts of my life will equally be joyful.

215. Brilliant blog Lieke – the line ‘I gain more of an understanding of what is important to remember for the exam by studying the things that are important and making sure I understand the bigger picture of what is being taught’ – really stood out to me…So often we can find ourselves stressing out over all the individual details rather than standing back so we can see clearly how everything works together. With that understanding of the bigger picture, all the smaller parts make more sense.

     1. Beautifully said Hannah “With that understanding of the bigger picture, all the smaller parts make more sense.” Everything matters and seeing the bigger picture helps with committing to also the smaller parts, yet in relationship to big picture.

        1. Exactly Lieke, seeing the bigger picture helps bring purpose to the details 🙂

     2. I love what you bring here Hannah, I can relate to stressing out over really small details and getting caught in an assignment at school being ‘perfect’ before I could hand it in. A few years later you can barely even remember what the assignment was about but at the time the world would end if everything wasn’t ‘perfect’. Taking a step back and keeping things in perspective is super important as that kind of stress as a kid or adult is not supportive for the body.

        1. Thanks Sarah – I can so relate to your school assignment example. The grade you got at the end of the day, no matter how good it was, never made up for the stress and anguish you’d put yourself through!

        2. Very true Hannah, the weird thing is I used to get so praised by teachers for these assignments, they would use mine as the example to all the other students. At the time I thought I was the one on ‘top’ but in retrospect I was the most trapped, the other kids just didn’t push them selves for a gold star and passed regardless. I can clearly see that the blood and tears that went into that grade 3 project on Bees and flowers definitely wasn’t worth it, although its 3D effects were impressive!!

216. Very inspiring Lieke. Your approach to your studies being to nurture and care for yourself first and to ensure you have proper balance in your life. My experience of studying at University was quite the opposite and as a result completely exhausting physically and mentally. This is definitely something many students could benefit from reading.

217. This is great!

     Nearly all University students are under the mentality ‘live or die’ during exam period. Every thing is put below studying for a text, exam or a piece of assessment. I’m currently a university student and this culture is not hidden it is openly supported. Teachers often say let your close family know that you are in a exam period so you may not have as many responsibilities around the house.

     Exams are important, I’m not saying they are not. However when they come at the expense of feeling lovely in the body and enjoying your day, something needs to be considered. A balance and tempo is needed so, as student, we don’t come out exhausted and gasping for air on the other side.

     1. True: “I’m currently a university student and this culture is not hidden it is openly supported.” I agree too exams are important but this teaches that when we need to perform it is ok to drop everything else and actually what most supports us too! I find helping out in the household at home, walking the dog, cooking and so on, really support me in not getting caught up in the study and enjoying my day with me.

        1. Yes, and whenever a student has a ‘meltdown’ during an assignment or before/during an exam that is exactly what the psychologists prescribe – to take a few days to be ‘normal’ and come back to themselves. There is a now a program to build resilience and balance that has begun in our institution, and a move to integrate it into the learning program from day one. However academics have nearly always had to survive the system with the cram method, so it will take more and more students like yourself to speak with your peers and raise it as an issue. Not to mention different cultures where longs hours of study has been demanded by the education system and/or parents from a very young age. Some institutions have adopted very short study sessions which are packed full of material to cover, same as when the sessions were longer, and this has put enormous pressure on students.

        2. Agree Lieke, when planning study days at home I allocate time for household chores. They really help balance my day.

           Its true we can drop everything in our day purely to study because there are things in our day that also support us.

        3. Thanks for the comment Lieke, I am new at studying and you have helped me to see that keeping the balance is so important.

218. I would have loved to have read this blog before I did my studies! I completely drained myself through my degree and came out the other end with Honours in Bachelor of Health Science…but my body was a wreck…how’s the irony in that! This is a whole new way of approaching study that all students need to know about. Thank you Lieke.

     1. I see the same with nursing students. They learn so much about the body and how to care for their patients but end up disregarding themselves while they study. I have noticed it is even worse now, as so many mature aged students try to cram study into an already full life, with work, family and kids etc. something has to give and usually the first thing we drop is the things that support us and balance our life.

     2. I know! That is what stands out for me too, that you can get a degree in health care (or any subject really) whilst you are totally draining and disregarding your own body. I noticed this very much in my study too, the result is what is looked at though not so much at our postures whilst doing the drilling tests. They do mention it during practicing but not during the exams.

219. Lieke what you have shared is very simple but is something that should also be taught so that when people go into the workforce they are already prepared and have it within them the rhythms to support and nuture themselves. If we did this then the expenses on sick or stress leave would be drastically reduced- it just makes sense.

     1. Kristy, this is such a great point. I see high school students becoming stressed and burnt out, looking to the finishing line, thinking they can take better care of themselves when it’s over. But what happens in reality is that it all starts again at uni and the bad habits of staying up late, running on stress, not eating well or partying too hard keep going and have a cumulative effect on the body. The same cycle happens again when students graduate and enter a workforce that can often expect a lot from us.

     2. I agree Kirsty, it is so common to prioritise ‘the work’, ‘the client’ and to forget about all the things that support us to do the work. We wolf down a quick sandwich at lunch time on the go and grab a quick coffee to stave exhaustion, have late nights consecutively to get the work done. As long as we meet the deadline and get the work finished that’s all that matters. If the foundation of eduction was to teach children to treat all aspects of their lives with equal importance, the world would be a very different place.

     3. And we know this. So all the drive and push is doubly exacerbating because we are not only not taking care but using up energy ignoring what is our innate common sense. I can feel it in me often: a mental push to complete something with my body calling for a wee, tea or rest break and the double drain of shutting out the signs and driving on through.

        A stop for a walk, reconnect with somebody, a quiet moment as the kettle boils creates space and support for everything that follows. Self-care and respect has proved to be more powerful than any achievement I have attained.

220. I recall when I was at University, study and working (to pay for the bills) came first. Everything else would come a very long second. Especially relationships with friends and family. I can feel from what you have shared Lieke, the importance of having a very inclusive lifestyle, where everything has equal value, not just what you recall from study or the marks that you get. High marks do not maketh the person!

221. I can relate all the things you mentioned to self care for yourself when at University to my day job, working in many corporate offices as a consultant, ensures that I am sitting a lot, moving desks a lot, so not always in an ergonomically correct set up, very busy and tight timeframes, so building these self caring and self honouring markers into my day are really important. Your blog has also been a great reminder for me to go deeper with that self care, so thank you.

222. What you are sharing is very interesting, because at school or University we are very much encouraged to put studying before everything, causing so much burn out and overwhelming levels of stress for the students. however what your presenting makes sense. In industry we wouldn’t run a machine constantly without taking the steps to ensure it had the right maintenance to run efficiently. And yet during studying, we ask ourselves to work far more with less care for the body.

     1. Great analogy Rebecca – it seems strange that humans can totally disregard the maintenance and workings of their own body yet we would never think that any other type of machine could run without the right care, fuel and maintenance.

        1. I agree Melissa, why is it that we can take more care of many other aspects of life, such as our machinery and the making of products to sell, and yet not ourselves.

        2. Yes great point Rebecca, why is it easy to take care of other people or things yet seemingly harder to take care of ourselves?

        3. I agree Melissa – it’s so ironic we would take our cars to the garage the minute something is up but we live with pain and exhaustion in our bodies for years and years before we address it!

     2. Absolutely – I would say we are forcefully encouraged to put studying before everything else, and at the expense of everything else, which I would definitely say is contributing the the fact the universities in this country are largely about binge drinking. It’s just one form of disregard breeding another.

        1. I agree Meg – At my school during exams we were told almost daily to work hard and play harder – setting all these young people up to grow up and believe that that way of life is healthy and normal.

        2. I’ve always really disliked the phrase ‘work hard and play harder’, I can’t quite put my finger on it, but it just does not seem right to me. Perhaps because that phrase encourages complete irresponsibility by encouraging you to abuse your body and disregard what you feel and then seek relief, or ‘play’ as it’s put.

223. This to me is the most loving support what everyone can give themselves:
     Realising that you are so much worth it to say this:
     ‘I am a very tender, delicate, joyful person who needs care, love and nurturing as my foundation, to then be able to do other things like studying without going into disregard for myself and my body’.

     1. Indeed monika2808, realising that we are tender and gorgeous is a great place to start from, to feel we are worth looking after in every way.

224. Hi Lieke I can see how self nurturing during university for me would have made a world of difference to my life… Looking back I was so unprepared for everything – I never took packed lunches but resented paying for overpriced food or often just didn’t eat anything all day until dinner time… Now, with the way I take care of myself, especially with food, I literally have no idea how I got through the day! The one thing I was prepared for was my exams as literally all I did was study. I captured every word from every page pretty much and narrowed it down to spider diagrams… Each time i thought I had it covered yet still didn’t excel. It often baffled me as I was so hard working and I was led to believe hard work got you places! From reading your blog I now totally get it – I was trying so hard and disregarding myself so much, I literally didn’t give myself any space to feel what was needed! I really hope students read this and get inspired as uni can be a really damaging place if you’re not with yourself.

     1. Shocking how much society asks us to sacrifice and disregard ourselves for the sake of knowledge, achievement, recognition, success. And as nobody gives us an example of how to do it differently one generation after the other passes on the neglectful culture that is well known, expected and somehow glorified at universities. It is students like Lieke who set a new standard by simply living it for themselves and giving others the chance to be inspired. That´s how every change begins – with one person bucking the trend.

     2. Thank you Rachael for what you have shared. I can so relate to not eating much, 3 years ago I used to get round with almost no money and not eating much – I now can’t imagine how I did that! Disregarding my body by not eating when I am hungry impacts hugely on how I feel and I just can’t operate when I am starving! The other point you raised that stood out for me is: “I was trying so hard and disregarding myself so much, I literally didn’t give myself any space to feel what was needed!” I think many students do this as I hear this a lot. It is a great realisation that with caring for ourselves we can better observe and see what is really needed to study and what not.

225. This is great Lieke and needs to be shared with all students everywhere. To know that there is a way of supporting ourselves through an important time of our lives like this is so important. (And of course at every other time in our lives too)

226. Lieke from a young age children are put through studies, tests, exams and when it comes to University your account shows just how much pressure there is. So with your article and what you share it provides the simple way of being that allows you to complete the studies that are needed without getting destroyed by the studies. The practical tips also make perfect sense not only in University but for everything – the deep appreciation and care shown is something we can apply wether we are studying or not.

     1. Wow Lieke, that article should be printed and given to every student as they embark upon their time at University. Its a pretty good blueprint for life in general too!.

227. Lieke what an awesome thing you have shared. No one teaches this and many students feel so much pressure and burnt out from studying.. and so they usually turn to drinking. The thought of studying does not appeal to me at all but from what you shared it seems that there is a way more supportive way to be with it then what I have seen previously. Thank you for sharing your hints and tips.

228. This line is simple and says it all to me “I make sure I listen to my body”

     1. Sadly I feel if I presented ‘listen to your body’ to my senior students who are about to embark on University they would stare at me blankly as exhaustion for them has become the norm. There are so many beautiful and simple teachings from Universal Medicine that have such powerful and profound changes to one’s life and body. These teachings of simplicity and love are still very much unheard of and acted on in the wider community. The world needs blogs like these to guide the new way forward. I see student burnout even in high school so I can only imagine what is happening at Universities.

        1. Thank you for sharing this Tracy Aisbett – This is seriously shocking – student burnout even in high schools as they are pushing themselves to always achieve more in preparation for University. What quality are these students going to bring to work when they finally move into a job?

        2. I feel we are already seeing the lack of quality in people in the workforce and in the lack of workmanship in the things we buy. It will only get worse before it is shaken up and the momentum swings the other way, a way with love and integrity. For that to happen the education system needs to be broken down and rebuilt with love.

229. Similarly I have just completed a course of intense study, and know those thoughts of “I will never pass” all too well. Its like I use them to whip myself into a stressed state, to build some anxiety and create a state where I become intensely focussed and then afterwards feel all washed out and not myself at all. However, this time round I too could notice a difference when I stay with the things that support me – the exercise, the walking, how I eat. As a result the study is smoother, more efficient, and the person that comes out the other side in an infinitely better place.

230. Lieke, I too fell for this mistaken version of absoluteness and commitment, i.e. thinking that during exam time, I have to commit all of me to my exams, to the exclusion of everything else. Your blog has made me realise that I carried that belief on through life, in particular into work, and that it lingers now. If I am busy or have a deadline, I make whatever the thing or task is the only thing, to the exclusion of everything else, including making time to connect with people. I feel that it has left me with a bit of an aversion to commitment, but of course, the commitment that I have shown in the past was not true commitment, but self negation, so I am wary of something that I have not really tried. I have only tried a warped version of it.

231. I recently had exams to study for and I found that I was approaching it in a very different way than I had when I was at school. I really appreciate what you say about being open to the big picture, I really felt this supported me. And also how important it is to care for yourself and keep a balance in life. I found caring for myself and taking breaks and not being hard on myself as I used to when exams where coming really did feel amazing. I felt ready and steady when exam day came and it went well, without all the high’s and low’s that I once experienced. This steadiness has been something that I have built to support me everyday, and I continue to review and reassess it, however what is there now feels deeply supportive.

232. This is a super powerful blog Lieke, in the sense that it blows the beliefs about studying out of the water – in the sense of studying becomes an all consuming with people pulling all nighters, not eating properly, surviving on coffee or in many instances taking drugs to keep themselves awake so as to study for hours – then collapsing and being a complete mess once, (in truth already in mess if this is how we are living) once the exams are over. You are living proof that there is another way, that you can bring joy and care to studying, and how much more powerful and supportive this is.

     1. I agree Gyl, and the beliefs about studying do need to be blown out of the water. I know from personal experience that if you go into exams exhausted from late night study, caffeine etc then doing the exam is really difficult, you have mind blanks, doubt and confusion, not what you want in an exam. But if you go in connected to who you are outside of study, your purpose for being there, knowing that you have put the needed time into preparation and understanding that despite what is depicted by the institution, the exam is not the most important thing in life, it all rolls smoothly. There may be some questions you don’t know in full, but if you have prepared you will know enough.

233. What a wonderful turn around Lieke. Studying and Uni can be so stressful, but what you have discovered is that loving and caring for yourself first and foremost puts everything into perspective and allows you to work at your own (loving) pace. I’m sure you will be an inspiration to many at your University when others start to notice how composed and steady you are.

234. “In all this I find the way I am with myself is key to support me through University and life’ I agree with this and this is something I find in my own life too. If I am harsh with myself, this is the reflection I receive back whereas when I am loving and tender with myself this too is the reflection I receive from the world.

235. Yes, I agree Jane and reading through them I was reminded that I do not drink enough water throughout the day, especially when it’s cold as I veer towards hot cups of tea. Thank you Lieke a great reminder as I start a new day.

236. This is amazing Lieke, ‘ I realised that when I am present with myself, as in not thinking about anything else while I am studying, I ‘just know’ what parts are important and I do not have to know every little detail and every page from the inside out to pass an exam.’ I can feel how this is relevant for all of life, if we are present we know how to respond, what to say and what to do in any given situation. I have realised this at work, that if I stay present then I know what is needed and there is a magic and a flow.

     1. ‘a magic and a flow.’ at work and in study, who would have thought it??, thank you for highlighting it Rebecca.

237. Love your sharing Lieke and your awesome list of self-caring, self-loving and nurturing things that support you to remain vital and joyful through all of your university studies. Wouldn’t it be great if students were told of this in their first lesson on day 1 🙂

     1. Agree Shelleyjones, it would “be great if students were told of this in their first lesson on day 1”. Our education system is sorely lacking! Were students taught self-care as a first subject all else would follow.

238. This is great Lieke , how many students around the world live in total disregard? The two things, disregard and student seem to go hand in hand they are one and the same thing,poor food excessive drinking and terrible sleeping rhythms. The students that are in the most disregard are held in the highest regard in some student towns. I had a friend who was legendary for studying with a bottle of vodka, how he could remember anything I’ll never know. Its superb that you show here the alternative.

     1. I agree Kevin and what she is showing is completely going against the ‘norm’ to show people what normal really is!

     2. Lieke’s article really shines a light on how we can live in a way that truly supports us, whether students or non students.

239. To have this steadiness in studying and at the same time satisfy yourself is enormous. Great sharing , Lieke, Thank you.

240. ‘This is very powerful. I realised that when I am present with myself, as in not thinking about anything else while I am studying, I ‘just know’ what parts are important and I do not have to know every little detail and every page from the inside out to pass an exam.’ This is huge wisdom Lieke, what a difference knowing this gem would make to other students who are experiencing the same pressures as you.

241. Loved to read this Lieke and can feel how supportive this will be for many students who are ready and looking for a better way to study that does not leave them exhausted after their exams. Through the simplicity and clarity of your writing I could feel how loving and caring you are with yourself – which is your reflection where-ever you go, making you a fantastic role model Lieke.

242. Thank you for sharing the caring and nurturing way of living that serves all equally including body. I love the fact that living in such a way does not leave us feeling empty.

243. Lieke this way of studying seems beautifully supportive, it makes so much sense if you take care of yourself, your body creates the clarity and you know what to study and don’t need to cramp and go into any panic. Also what you shared about knowing everything is equally important, from talking to sleeping, eating to cooking, all of this plays an important part in the true daily rhythm. This is great awareness to share with other students as most students burn themselves out as they don’t have the true balance in what they do. What you shared is an inspiration to many.

244. What you share with us all Lieke is so simple and yet in the past I’ve made it quite difficult for myself. Not only struggling with long hours cramming in studying as much as I could but feeling so drained and anxious that I would not pass. The build up to exam time chatting to others students waiting in hallways/corridors I would absorb all the nervous energy instead of observing, Just laying on more pressure. The Gentle Breath Meditation is a lovely tool to use at such moments as are the pearls of wisdom that you share with us. Thank you Lieke.

245. My goodness, at age 24 knowing and learning all of these amazing self-caring and self- loving philosophies will set you up for life. I remember how horrible it was when I was studying and the amount of pressure that I put on myself to know everything. To know what is important and to feel the over-arching structure of the whole course, instead of getting lost within its pages is awesome. I am going for a job tomorrow and I feel the beautiful similar process that I am going through.

246. “The most important thing I find about living life and studying in University is knowing that everything is equally important”- great point you make Leike, because when I previously studied for exams the retention of all the information was my first priority which resulted in much disregard re food choices, sleep patterns, lack of exercise. I passed the exams well but at my body’s expense- definitely not the way.

247. As a research student at university I now have a window into what it is like to be an academic. I see a lot of super-busy and very stressed people who often aren’t all that well yet continue to remain focused on their roles to the detriment of their wellbeing. This is what is demanded of them to keep the university wheels turning yet the university system does little that in truth supports them as people first, rather than as productive machines. The people working in the higher education system will need to drive change from inside it – university administrators too when their people on the frontline start to seriously fall over.

     1. ‘I see a lot of super-busy and very stressed people who often aren’t all that well yet continue to remain focused on their roles to the detriment of their wellbeing.’ well said Victoria, as a student at university I see the same thing amongst our lecturers. There also seems to be little attention to actually sharing their understanding of the subject and nurturing the development of the future industry and more on getting through the designated curriculum as quickly as possible, kind of advocating this busy and stressed approach, all for making sure that the university has a good name.

248. This is brilliant. Knowing how to love and nurture ourselves makes a huge difference, whether as a University student, or a dentist – this is about building a foundation upon which we live. I remember how I used to work extra hard for a big project and secretly enjoyed the adrenaline high I was getting from it, and a huge drop straight after. Totally exhausting, but it was stimulating and I used that to spike my numbness and to get recognition.

249. Thank you Lieke for sharing what you know about studying and university. I agree uni is a very challenging environment in which to hold oneself – it really wants to ‘own’ us, take us over completely, make it so that nothing else is more important. I have found also that staying very connected to my body is the way through. This makes sense as university wants us to live solely from the mind.

250. Thanks for sharing Leike, we have made studying feel like a burden and something we have to put up with in oder to get a qualification when in fact if we commit to supporting ourselves by the quality of choices we make studying can be an enjoyable experience.

251. This is so gorgeous and applies to all areas of life and not just studying. That is how it is with The Way of the Livingness – which is what you are describing – it applies to every single aspect of life – is super simple, joyful and really works. Makes me wonder why we would live any other way!

252. Balance in life has always been spoken about but whoever knew where we found the balance, until such time as we became ill from over doing it we would then register we were out of balance. Now with the teachings of Serge Benhayon we have learnt for ourselves to listen to our bodies and from their we feel our own own way of living in steadiness.

253. It’s true this awesome that this is out there. I do hope it touches many people otherwise we are going to have many student burning out before they even get into their profession… and this is our future.

254. Well shared Leike, I actually had this type of conversation with a friend of mine last night, as I was feeling quite stressed and overwhelmed with my work load and study. He shared that I may be looking ahead of myself at a goal or what he called the horizon, but heading towards that horizon, I cannot forget about me in the process. I am in my space as I get there so I need to feel the love from myself so by the time I get to the harbour I can enjoy the sweetness of everything that brings and not continue in the cycle of I’m not there yet, gotta keep working, striving with no appreciation for the work I have already done.

     1. Amazing sharing too arieljoymuntelwit. It is that with making it about the result only, that we do not bring the love for ourselves in every moment and than as a result end up with always wanting better or more and never appreciate what we have done.

255. Beautiful Lieke – and I really like your realisation that : “… studying is as important as for instance exercising, cooking, spending time with friends, doing the dishes and spending time with myself.” This way we can bring balance to our life in a loving and connected way.

256. Thank you Lieke. Bringing self care to study really needs to be a subject in schools. I remember cramming and staying up late to absolutely try to remember everything. We all exchanged ideas of how to cope and it was taking “a lot of coffee, sugar and lollies, and chocolate” to keep the body artificially alert. It’s terrible that kids as young as 13 (in my day) were developing self harming strategies that hurt their health and emotional wellbeing to perform for a set of short exams. This would then become a foundation of disregarding the body in teen and adult life. I can’t imagine we would force a toddler to stay up late to master walking, and fill them with stimulants to achieve the goal. We tend to honour and respect the delicateness of an infants body and its basic needs for sleep and so on, but this does not carry through as we grow. I love what you have achieved Lieke and I wish I had of read this in high school!

257. There is a real consciousness around study and exams that guarantees a level of disregard. It is as if you have to push yourself into an unloving rhythm. Also that nothing is achieved without hard work. If you don’t do these things, then you haven’t tried hard enough. It’s as if the measure of effort is how much you gave up to achieve and how awful you looked afterwards.

258. As a uni student it is so easy to lose yourself in what is required and the pressure of time constraints of assignments and exams, so this is a great reminder in the power in staying with ourselves during our studies. I too have found taking time out to care and nurture myself supports me deeply to be loving with myself and avoid going into overwhelm which is nearly a prerequisite of uni these days.

259. This is really great Lieke, living life as a whole rather than in specific parts where we so often can feel a need to strike a balance from excessiveness in one area over the other. The infamous ‘work life balance’. Your words here show us the way: “The most important thing I find about living life and studying in University is knowing that everything is equally important, so that studying is as important as for instance exercising, cooking, spending time with friends, doing the dishes and spending time with myself” – feels AWESOME living life as one.

260. Lieke I know that feeling exactly of feeling overwhelmed by the amount of study to do for an exam. I find listening to my body and caring for myself has been the way I have gone through my course without getting hammered by it. I find caring for myself deeply throughout the semester, not over working, going to bed early not staying up to do work, eating a very clean diet, walking my dog, hanging out with my family all means I am very clear and present during the day and can take a lot in from my lectures. This then supports my exam study enormously because I have retained so much already and I don’t feel like a slave to university – I know a lot of people do feel like a slave to it staying up very late to ‘get it done’. Great read, you are very inspiring Lieke.

261. It makes sense doesn’t it, that University is a microcosmic version of life: “In all this I find the way I am with myself is key to support me through University and life.” It’s all really very simple.

262. The point that stands out the most to me, which I have also taken onboard from the presentations of Serge Benhayon, is how all the different areas of life are important as each other and when all are done with awareness of how my body is feeling, more gets done, quicker and with no stress or draining of my energy levels. Simple, thanks Lieke.

263. Gorgeous blog Lieke. I love what you have shared in that there is so difference with what you are doing and that you connection to you allows more of you to be present with what you are doing and when is needed at that time. ‘In all this I find the way I am with myself is key to support me through University and life.’ – beautifully said. The list you have shared should be available for all student studying at Universities as it offers so much support. Thank you for sharing how there is another more honoring and enjoyable way to be and study.

264. Inspiring Lieke, the simple loving examples you share would support so many through what is often a very stressful time. You share the true wisdom of the body, which can be often easily overridden by the mind. What a great support you are offering to your peers.

265. This is such a great blog to read. It made me realise why I hated studying so much but when you bring in self care and in that solid foundation you were able to “studying the things that are important and making sure I understand the bigger picture of what is being taught”. It makes so much sense and is counter to the culture of education which was living under the stress of not being able to remember things for the test and whether you were going to get the grades you needed to get to the next level of education. Crazy! Aren’t we being educated to understand life and how to be in it first and foremost?

266. Great blog Lieke. Yes, “Everything is equally important”, as during the exam or study period, presence and connection to self is traded easily in the pursuit of getting a good mark or over ridden with anxiety. Your blog is super supportive for all students to read, showing there is another way.

267. Thank you Lieke , such an important point is made in your words, as we pay less attention to the quality of our actions in the things that we may deem ‘lees important’ for whatever reason. Building our ability to bring ourselves in full goes across the board – in everything we do, there is no difference or separation. ‘The most important thing I find about living life and studying in University is knowing that everything is equally important, so that studying is as important as for instance exercising, cooking, spending time with friends, doing the dishes and spending time with myself.’

268. This is beautiful to read, what a difference this will make to your studies and dentistry also. What you share is a great reminder of the importance of self care in our lives.

269. Perfect for me to read this at the moment because I am feeling things are a chore as well and also getting the feeling that I am wasting an opportunity. And that opportunity is to actually take great care of me whilst I am doing what ever I am doing.Which on reading this my feet are cold so I am going to get them warm!

270. Hello Lieke van Haastrecht, love this, “The most important thing I find about living life and studying in University is knowing that everything is equally important, so that studying is as important as for instance exercising, cooking, spending time with friends, doing the dishes and spending time with myself.” This balance that you have hit on is a solid approach that you could apply to any situation like you have to studying. Thank you Lieke.

271. Lieke you have shared such an important blog that highlights that we can still bring quality to our studies when we bring quality to our care. How great would it be to offer this as part of your course studies with your fellow students.

272. Hello Lieke, I love the way you have narrowed down your study to what is important and are at the same time making sure you ‘understand the bigger picture’ of what is being taught. This is a great lesson in life too. What is right in front of us is always connected to the whole. Thank you for your sharing Lieke – super important for all.

273. Knowing everything is equally important is a great key as you share Lieke. It can be easy at times to overlook one area of our life while focussing on another, and it is our body and our true health that suffers the consequence. The mind can be a hard taskmaster but the body is lovingly honest.

274. It sounds to me like you are discovering a really great way to live your life. Being at university is no different from being at school or being at work, it all needs to be the same. The exam structure makes for more focused areas of ‘pressure’ and from school life these are built to be bigger than Ben Hur. I love what you have shared and will apply many of the tips regardless of where I am and what I am doing.

275. Lieke this blog is so brilliant and something I feel that will benefit many who are studying as it offers so many great supportive ideas of how to study and stay present with self. My experience of University looked much more like how you used to study and I feel had I approached study in the way you describe – with true care of self first, I would not have felt so burnout by the experience. You can feel reading your blog that you are embracing study as one part of the whole of your life, there feels such presence with the way you are choosing to be with each aspect of your life, with no need to make study the sole focus. It is a truly honouring way you have chosen and one that lays an amazing foundation for your life.

276. What you so lovingly share here Lieke are beautifully practical tips for not only studying with love but also living a life with love and true support. Thank you.

277. What a brilliant leaflet this would make to give out to every new student on Fresher’s Day at Uni Lieke!

278. Dear Lieke, I can feel your loveliness and strength in what you have shared here- your strength especially for finding your own way through being a student when others around you are not listening to their bodies and pushing hard to pass exams. To have pulled yourself clear of this almost expect way to study and to live a balanced life as student is very inspiring not just to the readers here but for your classmates too I’m sure.

279. The truth is, you don’t often hear of ‘Self-nurturing’ and ‘University’ in the same sentence, this is history making and deeply inspirational! Thank you Lieke.

     1. Yes! “you don’t often hear of ‘Self-nurturing’ and ‘University’ in the same sentence” It is about time indeed.

280. Love it Lieke! This is what I too have come to learn about University and exams, I knew exactly what I needed to know by taking care of myself first and viewing the wider picture. I even came to learn that the nervous energy that arose prior to an exam wasn’t at all about the content (I knew I had that covered) but the whole nervous energy of the group/class that I was apart of. As I study online I realised I could feel this group energy even without being with everyone in person, and yet when I entered the examination room with students it was clear to see how everyone else was running themselves, their bodies, emotions and tensions too.
     When I nominated and let go of enjoining this type of racy and tense energy, I was free to study more with what felt supportive to me, attend exams and actually enjoy myself there.

281. “Studying is as important as for instance exercising, cooking, spending time with friends, doing the dishes and spending time with myself.” Thank you Lieke! I have just had an exam yesterday and feel like my body is exhausted due to getting a bit stressed out and dropping part of my rhythm. I feel like the joy you are expressing from is something for me to return to, not worry about the future, but take deep tender care for myself now. A very supportive blog.

     1. So true Arianne. As Lieke has shared, study or work is not more important than any of the other aspects of our life. I find that when I get to caught up in one aspect of my life I become unbalanced and less productive. I have less ease with myself as I feel the tension in the areas of my life that I have neglected.

282. You have reminded me how important it is to take care of myself Lieke. I was especially struck by the way you described ‘just knowing’ what was important to study instead of trying to remember every detail. I know that when I take care of myself I can feel what needs to be prioritised and this stops me from feeling overwhelmed no matter how much needs to be done. This is a very inspiring revelation.

283. ‘Wearing clothes in which I feel beautiful and are comfortable at the same time, even if I am not going out that day’ we can so easily choose to ‘bung on any old thing’ when we are at home all day working or studying but I have found unless I prepare myself for the day in a way that supports me, such as blow drying my hair after my shower and lovingly putting on make up on I find it difficult to focus and I drift. Whereas, when I have taken the time to be with myself and prepare myself for the day the clarity I have when I come to do my work is entirely different.

     1. Your comment really struck a chord with me, Fiona. I know there are days when I am pottering around at home and I don’t make the same effort in choosing what I wear, just something comfortable. However, after reading your words, it struck me that if I am choosing not to honour myself that morning, in the same way that I may other mornings, I am not bringing all of me to my day. I’m already in some disregard towards myself. I’m not fully appreciating all that I am, if I was, I would be choosing to celebrate this and it would show in how I got myself ready. That doesn’t mean that I need to wear my ‘prettiest’ clothes, it’s the quality I am choosing in how I get myself ready that counts.

284. This is so awesome to read, and a far cry from the way that we are usually taught how to study! If all students approached their tests and studying this way, we would have a generation of amazing students bringing themselves fully to the workplace. May you inspire many, Lieke!

285. A wonderful testimony of self care Lieke – this simple method of putting ours selves first before the stressors of life can prove to eliminate drama and issues. For me, self love has taken on a new light – it’s not just my body that requires care and nurturing but my mind also. The thoughts I have and how I treat myself have a direct affect to how my body is feeling.

286. The words that really stood out for me, were your ones at the end where you describe everything as equally important. I can think of many times in my life were I have judged one thing (my baby, an exam, a project at work) much more important than all others. As you share, without a foundation of self love and care, this is exhausting. To allow space and time for ‘joy’ in studying feels amazing.

     1. I find that equality of tasks quite remarkable and also inspiring, Carmin. I know for sure it is something I would like to develop as I have been brought up professionally always to prioritise – its always been presented as the sign of a good manager. Everything as equal – why not? But it is a very different approach to life, especially in education where it’s all about the differentiation and a hierarchy of ( self ) importance, as well as jockeying for academic positioning relative to one’s peers.

287. Thank you Lieke. It is like the true examination we are actually sitting is how consistent we can be maintaining this feeling of equality. Wow – how would it be if we applied this study of steadiness to all of life? Imagine if we lived every day knowing it is in its own way an exam, always showing us our results in our body.

     1. This is exactly what IS happening Joseph! How we live shows up in our body and in our effectiveness at every turn. Lieke has just applied this in a concentrated way. The difference is our results are not given to us by an external moderator, they are either instantly presented to us or our overall presence and quality is revealed eventually…Awesome reflection!

     2. Beautiful reflection Joseph, it is true – we are our own exam and test in living each and every day and the results will be given out in how we are feeling in our bodies.

     3. I love this. It brings an awareness and responsibility to our livingness every day that goes deeper than that which we are used to, and yet it is so true. The results can be felt in our bodies each day – we know the answer!

288. What’s also inspiring Lieke is that by the time you qualify as a dentist, you won’t be burnt out by your studies … you’ll be offering so much to your patients by way of reflecting to them true health care which starts first with caring for ourselves.

     1. Well said Sandra, what a beautiful point to feel the quality of how we are leave University and step into the work force (without needing to take an extended year off to recover!)
        The University lifestyle is so ramped with abuse of all kinds in attempt to deal with the stress and pressure of it all. How is this supportive for professionals to begin their practice? What Lieke offers in her experience is a new way to be at University that considers health and wellbeing with self care first.

     2. Great point Sandra, how we are with ourselves is what we are sharing with others.

     3. Absolutely agree Sandra, the way we work follows the way we study. I see this a lot in my job of Recruiting. Study with drive and push, invariably work itself follows the exact same way — to then lead to job fatigue, burnout, or discontent at work. Apply love and spaciousness to study, and so too can the world of work be graced by this.

     4. Spot on Sandra and what a beautiful reflection for all who will come to meet Dr Lieke. Applying that logic to the university system, the people working in it can begin to exercise the same ‘degree’ of self-love and care that can be felt in this blog. This will eventually change how higher education is delivered, from the inside out.

     5. Exactly Sandra, a student who is caring and loving towards herself and her approach to studying will come out of University not only qualified but ready to work in the same way they studied. An absolutely amazing way of going into a profession.

     6. Exactly Sandra. The quality of the way we live and the way we are with ourselves is reflected in everything that we do.

     7. I was recently flabbergasted when a colleague shared that his son’s private school has a cafe where students can buy coffee (and work in the cafe). This in itself says so very much when teenagers are needing coffee to get them through their school day. It speaks to the exhaustion they are already in at school due to pressure to do well, to perform and to keep going. And so Lieke, your way of studying is very much needed as a model of how to do well in your chosen subjects without burning yourself out.

289. It makes so much sense Lieke to really care and look after yourself whilst studying or working. It is so common for students to ‘burn the candle at both ends’ by studying intensely and using coffee, sugar or other stimulants to keep them going, and then partying hard as a reward or outlet from the study…all of which leads to exhaustion. I love how you’ve described how you simply care for yourself and in that, you are able to study, work and have time with family and friends…it feels like a lovely natural flow that truly supports you.

290. I will definitely share this blog with anyone I know who many be studying. I remember being so stressed at University especially around exam time. I remember doing many all nighters where I would stay up the whole night studying, and then go straight into an exam the next day. Very unloving. These days I frequently hear of students using energy drinks to stay awake for longer so that they can cram in more hours. What you share Lieke is a way to actually enjoy studying while still looking after yourself and your relationships.

291. This is very inspirational Lieke, caring for ourself builds indeed a deeper connection to what we already know, so studying in this way will be very supportive in just being in university and not only doing what university asks us to do.

292. Having a balance is so important Lieke and you show that you have that. These self care tips are not really taught in schools, universities and colleges, but it make so much sense to look after yourself. I know when I look after myself I am far more productive with the time I have. The hours spent on a task do not necessarily equate to how well that job gets done.

     1. Very true Debra, our education system is bereft of this true guidance, it should accompany every examination procedure there is. Lieke is clearly demonstrating that when we live in a balanced way, taking care of her body, spending time with her family and friends, consistently looking after herself in what ever she does, that when she applies herself to her university studies, there is nothing to hinder her concentration and focus. The quality of the time spent studying stems from the quality she is choosing to apply to every aspect of her life, which ultimately can only produce quality results.

        1. Beautifully said Rowena. A true balance can indeed be found, and it – and we – are so deeply worth such truly loving attentiveness in every aspect of our lives. Surely these ‘results’ far outweigh a score on any test…

     2. Very true Debra, the quality of what we do, and the time they take are not as related as we think… its more about the integrity and our presence that we take into a task that define how it will complete.

     3. I love your point here, Debra, and WHY are these self care tips not taught from kindy or prep? Why is it that basic self care is so revolutionary when its effects are so supportive and natural, so life enhancing? When did we throw out this regard for ourselves and why? I truly appreciate its reinstatement but find a I have a need to know where / how it happened in the first place….so as not repeat it again.

        1. The true evil – ‘evil’ referring to that which separates and keeps us from ourselves – is completely exposed in such a system here Coleen, isn’t it…

293. Lieke, a few years ago I returned to University study and I learned what you have presented here, by just observing how I was feeling and constantly making adjustments. By the time I graduated, there were more changes that I could have made, to have deepened my awareness, but this is life, and the unfolding path. How awesome would it be if what you have shared here, was the ‘first day’ presentation at University.

     1. I can relate Maree – I completed a degree in 2009 knowing I could have done it very differently. Well what do you know, 5 years on I’m back and now have an opportunity to do just that. But there’s the opportunity to bring self-love to every sphere of human endeavour – I’m pretty sure they all need a love overhaul!

294. Lieke you’ve written a great blog for everyone who has something to do that he or she thinks is more important than all other things in their daily life. You’ve showed us that studying for an exam needs focus but how you are with yourself, how you take care for yourself, is equally important to do the studying and the exam without stress. And you are even deepening your self care and nurturing in these times instead of what a lot of people, me included, tend to do -lessen our self care. Thank you for your ongoing inspiration to deepen the connection with yourself and everyone else.

295. Thank you Lieke for exploring what it is to self care for yourself while studying at University. These are all very basic common sense principles yet I know this is not a common practice at University (or in life for that matter). What you are exploring with yourself Lieke is testament to what it means to be you, without loosing yourself. And although placed in the context of University it is a foundation that holds you steady no matter what the external environment or situation.

296. What is shared here in this blog needs to be available to all students world wide. In fact it’s something that should be taught to us in school from the age that homework starts to be given to children. If the children are considered responsible enough to have homework then it is time to remind them that we each have the inner-knowing of how to deeply care for and nurture ourselves with study and how important it is to honour this. I went to school and university for a total of 23 years, and nobody once shared any of this with me. In fact this should be written into a book!

     1. I agree with you Danielle, and it’s amazing to hear from your experience how you were in the studying process for 23 years and never was taught basic self-loving techniques.. this shows there is something not completely whole about our education system. It’s also not being self-fish or indulgent to put yourself equal to your study, it’s actually responsible to hold everything as equal, whether it is your study, your work, preparing your lunch, or taking a bath, if all is treated equal then the quality in all that someone does would be extraordinary.

        1. Yes this is true, everything is equal. If we ensure the quality of who we are is in what we do then all will be equal.

     2. Spot on Danielle, I love your comment. . . yes this nurturing, supportive, balanced approach to study and life needs to be introduced at the same time as homework is introduced. Otherwise it is simply introducing stress without any real support. It is counterproductive.

        1. Corporate and Small businesseses would also benifite from a more people focused and nurturing approach.

        2. Hi Danielle, You could go even further and say that every-one would benefit from a more focused, more self nurturing approach.

     3. Yes indeed Daniel, this should be publicly available for all to read! I know that everybody can sing this song about self pressure and anxiety around studying.

297. Lieke, what a beautiful way to study and have fun at the same time. I wish this blog was around when I was studying as my experience was one of full on anxiousness and I was unable to enjoy the study and so struggled through. Back then I had no idea that there was another way to live in everyday life that would support me with my time at university and anything else I so pursued. Knowing what I know now about self love and self care and living in a way that is respectful of my body would have given me a totally different experience. To every university student out there this is a compulsory read and an inspiring way to live life especially when at university.

298. Lieke your connecting with yourself is beautiful and inspiring. I can feel as you describe the keys that these can be applied to all parts of our life…self care and being totally present with ourselves what ever we are doing. Thank you

299. Lieke, I can so relate to what you are sharing here as one who has spent many years studying! Like you I found that it was not the number of hours that I studied that mattered but how I studied and the balance in which I held the study in the other areas of my life. In my last two years of my masters degree I allocated set hours and times each week to my study and was totally present to my work at that time. I never studied at any other time and definitely never in the evening. I found that there was so much space for other things such as family, my work and being with me and there was very little stress. Other students could not believe that I never worked in the evenings. I completed my Masters degree but more importantly I was “me” in the process as had held myself and my family in a loving way . It is truly possible!

300. I can relate to that ‘exam mentality’ Lieke where the focus is just on the study and self-care goes out the window! It’s not at all enjoyable and it certainly hurt my body. It would be great if self-care were a topic in all schools and universities. In my experience too it does make study more efficient to look after yourself at the same time and see that other areas in life are equally important.

301. I love the power in your blog Lieke, with this study program you wouldn’t need to revise before an exam. With this much integrity you would even make exams unnecessary.

302. Hi Lieke, focussing on caring for the needs of your body and allowing the study to flow from that, is so much more supportive and ultimately the body is going to be in a better place for the exam. Brilliant.

303. A wonderful reminder Lieke of the importance of developing a loving and supportive foundation, that enables you “…to do other things like studying without going into disregard for myself and my body.” I wish I had had this wisdom when I was at university.

304. A brilliant philosophy for surviving life through University Lieke, one that you appear to have embraced in full and are an inspiration. If we could take this philosophy of self-nurturing and loving ourselves first, from kindergarten upwards then by the time University came along it would be the norm, and everything would be far less stressful.

305. This is beautiful Lieke. Pertinent to our work, volunteer activities, just about everything. It is a great and comprehensive offering on how to bring super quality to our lives. I especially like how you share ” I realised that when I am present with myself, as in not thinking about anything else while I am studying, I ‘just know’ what parts are important and I do not have to know every little detail and every page from the inside out to pass an exam.”

306. Lieke, this is not only a solid foundation to bring you through University, it is also the foundation you build on for your life – to be you in all you do with self-care and nurturing.

307. Awesome sharing Lieke, love how you expand the understanding of self-care to the bigger picture. Self-care is not only taking care of yourself, but bringing a certain quality to life that does not hold any task higher or more than another. And the most amazing thing is it creates space as you beautifully describe. Living from our body is the smartest way to live as it gives us access to endless wisdom and space!!!

308. If I ever have to study again i will be taking some serious pointers off you Lieke, exams and tests used to freak me right out but with a more loving approach it could be a whole different ball game.

309. Many students should read your blog – the key to study with no overwhelm and exhaustion, which you present here as a living proof. Whilst reading your blog, suddenly studying feels like not being hard anymore. Great!

310. What a beautiful blog Lieke. It would serve all students, of any age, to read this. To hold yourself , to self- care and nurture the whole of you is so important, especially in stressful times and to not lose sight of the bigger picture of your life, to have fun along the way.

311. Thank you Lieke for showing there is a way to study where you feel vital, joyful and balanced and thank you for your list of what you do to support yourself. It is great to have for any daily life and rhythm.

312. Lieke, I have picked up some great tips from reading your post, especially about reading/remembering what’s important and seeing the bigger picture. I often get lost in detail, striving for perfection and trying to get things spot on but I lose my way when I do this and often end up with the sadness you describe in the beginning. It also makes sense why when I have used that approach it can become prescribed and there is no free flow as our thinking is rigid because there is no real understanding to be able to apply what has been learnt. I love how one person sharing their experience can support another.

     1. So true Shevon, personal sharings can be so supportive.. I also really love how Lieke has shared her own techniques. I am looking forward to when I next open my study to see it from a bigger picture.

     2. So true shevonsimon. I am studying at the moment and even though I don’t have exams, Lieke’s article really highlights to be the importance of our whole life and our participation in it, not just the life within a textbook.

313. Knowing that every thing is equally important is really a key point and I feel that in many cases students will put studying above everything else, eg. Diet, sleep, excercise, time with friends, relaxing… By neglecting other parts of life, what are the long term effects, even if exam results are high? In fact if high exam results come at the expense of health or relationships and are celebrated then this is confirmed as being ok. A dangerous cycle, with ongoing effects that are wide spreading. What you have shared Lieke is really amazing.

     1. I agree Laura, it is really amazing what Lieke has shared, with the key point that indeed everything is equally important in one’s life and that while studying, the other areas of your life still need attention and focus, which supports your steadiness and clarity to know when and how much study and what is important to study, and seeing the bigger picture as Lieke as mentioned in her writing.

     2. That is the key here not to think to put studying first than all the rest. I feel that this is the answer to the many exhausted and nervous students – the quality in which we are in when we study is more important than how much we study.

     3. That’s so true Laura. It doesn’t say a great deal for our education systems where marks and results are everything at the expense of our own health and wellbeing.

        1. I really feel this is a massive problem Jennifer, I see so many parents doing everything they can to make sure their kids get into the best school, sometimes they are planning this before the birth, and it is all about them doing ‘well’ – which is an appropriate word to consider, what do we see as doing ‘well’? If some one is successful in their field of work, then they are doing ‘well’, even though their health may be completely frazzled -possibly because of how hard they work to be seen as doing ‘well’…

     4. I agree Laura, and this sets young people up for how they will then be in their professional lives, where these learnt behaviours are taken and lived to the ongoing detriment of health and wellbeing. It’s no wonder burnout in many professions is on the rise, as well as absenteeism, disatissfaction at work and looking forward to retirement.

        1. Great point Sandra, this way of being and feeling about work is accepted as normal, which is tragic, how many people are wishing their lives away, planning their retirement and living for the next holiday?

314. This is the opposite of the typical university culture that we see portrayed – late nights studying, wild alcohol fueled parties and gatherings to relieve stress, nutrition less meals heated in microwaves when you think about ti it is amazing that anyone comes out form Uni in one piece. The choices you are making are really common sense and deeply honouring of your body so of course in return your body will be able to work well and deliver for you.

     1. It is so obvious when it gets spelled out like this. It makes you wonder at the irresponsible template that presides as the ‘normal’ way of studying at Uni… and begs the question of how on earth we have allowed that to become normal?

     2. It is such a big ask of bodies to abuse them and then expect them to perform.

315. Thank you for this nurturing blog. I can just feel through the blog how you are lovingly treating yourself. Especially the line that everything is equally important was a great reminder again. When we see everything and everyone equally important than every moment will receive the same quality. In a way outcomes don’t matter anymore or living up to something in the future. I can feel more clearly now that when we bring loving care to each moment, we build a foundation for the next moment.

     1. Yes so true Caroline, that everything is equally important from doing the dishes and taking the rubbish out as to study or going to work. When we can hold ourselves in the same level of loving care in every action then we are in co-creation aligned with the all.

316. I love what you share here Lieke. I can so relate to what you are presenting. As a student I was in constant anxiousness that I couldn’t retain enough knowledge for the exams. I was in constant disregard between late night essay writing and revision and a feeling of given upness during the day – feeling the work to be a chore I had to gear myself up to completing. What you share is a beautiful work/life balance that isn’t just a recipe for University but for work too.

     1. Totally Michelle, It’s a sad cycle I can see in a lot of people I know that are in University, they stay up late, push and push themselves then sleep in, in the morning and everyone knows that feeling of waking up super late in the morning or even afternoon and feeling wacked… yucky and lazy… it’s then a process of building yourself back up with sugar and stimulates of your choice to get the study happening for the afternoon and late into the night again. Where is the Joy? and soon will that person loose their passion for what they are doing?

     2. Michelle I work in a university environment and what I have noticed is that as the exam period looms student anxiety, debilitating stress and ill-health leads to meltdowns. Their self-care drops also as they rely on instant meals and some don’t attend to personal cleanliness to their normal standards. I definitely advocate for more basic life balance; a prep course would be great, but I wonder how many students would attend.Their is huge arrogance and or ignorance until they experience a meltdown, and often cultural/family ideals are at play.

317. Lieke you could teach the prep course for university study, as this way of studying feels supportive and efficient. Most Uni students burn themselves out and this would be a great course to offer a new way.

     1. That is an awesome idea. I recently attended a meeting where a Doctor shared how they did this with a group of newly qualified medical professionals. The feedback from them was they should have been taught how to look after themselves way back at the start of being a student, and really appreciated what they had learnt regarding self-care and self-love. Currently the world is in a complete mess with no way of truly knowing how to look after our health and support ourselves and our bodies in a way that we can work in and with vitality and joy, this is really needed.

     2. I agree Toni, and what Lieke has shared applies equally to working, parenting and study. I have also found that ‘…the way I am with myself is key..’ to support me through all aspects of life.

318. Great message Leike, that everything is equally important no matter how big or small the task is.

319. You are a trail blazer Lieke and in time the way you are studying and what you have realised about how to fulfil the demands of study without draining yourself will ripple out to others. I have noticed how tired and pale-faced many students look especially around exam times. University wants you to think that there is nothing more important than studying but you have found the way for it to be part of the whole of your life not the whole thing. Brilliant.

     1. Josephine, it is great how Lieke has worked out a balance with university work and everything else. This is amazing an very inspiring fir others to see and feel, To be able to share this with other students is great wisdom. If this was given as a prep course to all students, how different University lifestyle would be and how amazing graduates would become available for humanity.

320. Lieke you are breaking the mold as I observe University students doing the exact opposite by pushing themselves hard with many hours of study, neglecting their eating, health, sleep and general well-being. It seems counter intuitive to not put in the extra hours, but you are demonstrating that no matter what pressures we are under it can be achieved.

321. Lieke, it’s great how you were able to not make your studies more important than anything else. As a University student I would get on a huge momentum as the exams approached and there was an enormous investment in getting good marks and so the exams got blown up to become the only thing that really mattered in my life. This was all driven by wanting to please my dad and realising that I had wasted a lot of time throughout the year. Had I implemented your tips I would have had a more self-loving rhythm which would have supported me during the stress of exams and there wouldn’t have been the let down afterwards once the adrenalin was burnt up.

322. Gorgeous, what a completely other way to be in university and to study. I have already sent your blog through to my university friends, as you are such an inspiration. Self-care in University should be a subject on its own.

     1. Absolutely Mariette: “Self-care in University should be a subject on its own.”

        1. Yes Lieke, that is absolutely brilliant; Self care at University” should be the first and a mandatory subject for everybody attending, from teachers to students : ).

323. Lieke, this is such an important piece of writing you have shared here. I can only imagine the profound impact this would have on students worldwide if they were given this to read on their first day at uni – or even upon receiving their acceptance letter. What you have shared about equally valuing each part of our life is key – and valuing OURSELVES enough to make some space to do things just for us, just to nurture our bodies, like painting our nails. The quality that is taken to each part of life reflects these choices to look after ourself. A very profound, yet beautiful sharing. Thank you Lieke!

324. Hello Lieke. So much wisdom to support during a really stressful time. You have felt the difference and sharing it with others will support others to also find a way through study and university.

325. I can feel the joy in this Lieke. You are shining the way on how to stay true while in a system that destroys most who progress through it.

326. Lieke your blog is a great reflection of how I am living at the moment. I too am studying and at the beginning I put study first and everything else second or third. I went into the doing and soon became tired and frustrated and began to blame the program for setting such a ridiculous time schedule. I was missing my family and friends and my diet began to suffer. Then my beautiful Sister put everything into perspective for me and suddenly my studies began to fit into my lifestyle. I found I had plenty of time to do everything I wanted and I feel when it’s time to study and I know when to take a break and during my study session I have a deeper understanding of what is being presented and I have a feeling of what information is important. The best part is I’m not stressing about whether I will pass or fail, to me it doesn’t matter because I am learning more than the topic being presented.

327. Hi Lieke, thank you for a great sharing and what a radical approach to study! or is it? Maybe what you are suggesting is actually the TRUE way to study, by making it about you first.

328. A very supportive list Lieke, I have found when I am working at the computer that it is really important to make sure I am warm enough as the body often cools down a lot when we are that stationary, also going for regular walks to get the blood flowing has made a huge difference. I use the walking time to feel if I have let strain into my shoulders or am tight in my hips and just generally feel my body in movement. All of this should be standard study practice as it makes a world of difference to our ability to learn. Looking after ourselves should always come first, study should flow from that care.

     1. Absolutely Stephen that is so true, I often go for a little walk too during my studies even if it is just to get a cup of tea in the kitchen. I find that with studying or/and working at the computer tension can come in very quickly without me noticing it, though through these little ‘check in’ walking moments it is easy to catch it early and relax again.

329. Lieke I am sure there will be many people studying who will absolutely adore what you have written and you too for taking the time to share your study and self nurturing plan for University exams. I am not studying and have never been to Uni but I can really appreciate and use some of your great self nurturing tips. thank you.

330. Please can you see that this blog is printed in all study guides Leike – I love it. It is a true guide in how to study. How easy is it to live the tiny parts forgetting that they are part of a greater whole. Each part of our lives is indeed as important as each other and if we hold back in one, then we hold back in all. This is something I am only just beginning to understand.

331. Hi Lieke your dot points on how to study effectively at the same time as caring for yourself is an inspiration for all. You could run seminars for the other students to support them with a way to study that will not burn them out.

     1. Absolutely marylouisemyers, this is a fundamental change to the way most people go through their studies.

332. Wow Lieke this is a fabulous sharing and many many many students would benefit from reading this. Your very simple yet loving self care tips and life balance can literally be applied to every field of work or person’s day. Thank you.

333. I love what you have shared here Lieke, such simple loving choices to look after yourself that have a very powerful effect on how you feel and live life. There is such an enormous pressure of perfectionism placed on students, this sharing would be awesome to offer students as a wellbeing talk!

334. This is gorgeous Lieke. I can feel your commitment to you first and foremost and how that supports you in your studying.

335. Great observation Lieke, there is such an ingrained belief, that unless I am tired and wrung out I have not really tried that hard. Yet, as you point out, it can all get done and with less stress if we look after ourselves more deeply.

336. Your blog Lieke comes as a great confirmation for me, as I too am studying at the moment and I am discovering that it does not have to be something to suffer through. Beginning to feel more and more that the quality I bring to one part of my life need not be any different to any other, as you say ‘everything is equally important’.

337. I work in a university and am constantly seeing how stressed the students are, especially around assessment times. It is music to my ears to read a blog by a student who has learnt to put their self-care into practice and not allow the study machine to take over their lives. You have offered very simple practical tips that anyone could apply. One of the most important is your attitude of not making study more important than you.

338. Making what we do the focus over who we truly are in any instance is a loosing game we continue to play. We may pass the exam or win the award but that relief or elation is short lived. The connection to my body has brought me the most consistent feelings of confidence, understanding and love in my life. Study can at times feel like a ‘if I dont make the mark I am nothing’ but what you’ve shared here Lieke is that nothing is greater or deserving of more focus than yourself and the being and the body that is involved in all parts of our life. Thank you.

339. Lieke what you have shared is so inspiring for all the students out there who are struggling with study, work and other commitments. I particularly love that you no longer try to remember everything for the exam as I can see how this creates an immense stress and pressure in ourselves.

340. How very simple it reads to care deeply for you and to study. I certainly never equated the two – study was always only a chore to be undertaken at the last minute and at the expense of everything else and always seemed terribly arduous. This method seems far more enjoyable and productive. Thank you Lieke

341. Lieke, what you offer us here is gorgeous that everything is important every detail and if we approach life as a whole and take true care of us within that our perspective changes and we can see and feel what to do next, and what is required for each thing. This is such a different approach to how we’ve been taught to compartmentise life and push ourselves to do. It’s so refreshing to read and feel this more loving approach and how it can be lived. Thank you.

342. I love your list of ways you treat yourself self caringly, self lovingly, and nurturingly and how much you have been supported by these ways. You make University and study sound much more inviting rather than daunting. A great example for students starting out.

343. I remember studying and using food to eat to stay awake – anything would do. I would roll into bed at night desperate for sleep and get up the next day to start it all over again. It was awful! Self-care changes everything, so studying or working, I listen to my body and without perfection do what I can to care, nurture and be loving of myself.

344. Reading your article what I felt was this would not only help students but also professional.. teachers, health care professionals and many other professions in that self-care, self-love and nurturing ourselves actually supports our bodies in a great way so we can be more productive. I love the simple tips you shared in ways you do this for yourself.

345. Lieke, reading you blog has highlighted to me how much disregard I have been in in the past when studying, caught in the ideal of the harder and longer one works the better the results. Your offering here is that there is another way, a way where we self-care and self-nurture, giving ourselves the grace of considering all aspects of our lives rather than just focusing on the study. What you share here would be deeply beneficial for every uni student to read and is a beautiful self-care program that we can all benefit from.

346. Lieke thanks for confirming that absolutely everything is made easier by living in a self loving supportive way. Whether we are studying, going for an Interview, working, raising a family, living with illness it is all easier when we keep our focus on ourselves rather than get caught up in the ‘out there’. It is not always easy as we are permanently distracted by what is outside of us but I know that it is the key to a more harmonious life.

     1. Yes Alexis, staying connected to ourselves within we can feel what will truly support us.. our body never lies. Lieke’s practical points are great tips that support in every aspect of our lives.

347. Lieke, thank you. How gorgeous to read how you are living whilst at university. Your last sentence sums it up beautifully “I am forever inspired by the teachings and presentations of Serge Benhayon and Universal Medicine, who taught me to first love and care for myself before doing anything else.” Without this understanding and then livingness of loving and caring for oneself before doing anything else, nothing changes, and I’m sure you would be living like most other college students. To feel your life, free from the usual university pressures and constraints is very powerful and inspiring.

348. Lovely Lieke, this is lovely and you are lovely, how you are being at University studying in this way looking after yourself. It is a great reflection too for all your friends and colleagues to see there is a different way to be in this heady environment.

349. Not studying in the evening because it makes it harder to sleep…. I wonder how many University students burn the candle at both ends and then wonder why they are exhausted and run down at the end of it.

350. What a beautiful refreshing loving way to be whether you are studying or just in day to day life, thank you so much Lieke. I could really feel as I read this how when you stay caring and nurturing yourself throughout the study process, being so connected helps you stay with the big picture so you have an understanding of what is needed later for exams. I was often in drive from what I ‘ should ‘ know in my uni days so I just strained my brain and my body to recall detail that wasn’t needed. What a revelation to feel how light, and fun life can still be through our study years.

351. This is very true Thank you for sharing Lieke. I know that most of us think this way “we have to focus only on exams and study during exam period” but it makes completely no sense because what about our body? Our body has to live through every choice that we make with our minds.

     1. I learnt a long time ago that you had to go into exams confident and self assured and not stressed and worn out. That was before I found Universal Medicine, now after reading Lieke’s blog, the sky’s the limit.

     2. Absolutely harryjwhite what about our bodies! It makes perfect sense to care for our body so it can easily do everything we want and have to do.

352. Simply beautiful to read and feel the true knowing and wisdom you have come to in your life to support you Lieke thank you . This is so inspiring and loving to read and know. An amazing reflection for us all! So True, so real and so joyful compared with how studying and life is often lived with out the care, love and honouring of ourselves and everyone. You show an amazingly normal way to simply be with yourself and others.

353. What I see in your blog is that by self caring in a deliberate way, you shift the usual victim mentality and you take a much more proactive approach to studying. It is through taking loving care of yourself that you realize that you don´t have to recall every single detail, that you make sure you get the bigger picture and the requirements of the University, and make a choice as how to work with them. All that shows that you are not a victim of the system, but taking action as to how you want to be in the world, and it is very wise that you don´t put studies as the only priority, but as important as any other activity of your consciously caring life. Could we take this to the university newspapers of students worldwide?

     1. This is awesome juliamanbos to not be a victim of the system but to be actively living your own way in it. And yes this would be amazing to put into university newspapers etc.

        1. I was very successful at exams and studies, and it was always because I put myself first, bigger and more a priority, never made the studies bigger than me. It worked very well, now I am back at Uni in my older years! and I need to know what you share, remember that I can do it this way, a way of self caring and self loving, and never loose the perspective that I am doing it as a choice, there is no suffering needed. Your tips are a great reminder of what we can do when studying.

354. Lieke, I love the fact that you are putting so much effort and importance into your self care and that it is your foundation for your study. Your fellow students could learn a great deal from you.

355. So inspiring to read Lieke, how you have build a life in which you have made everything in your life as important and none of it any more special. What stands out for me is the part where you describe that by feeling solid within yourself, that you are able to see the requirements of the university more clearly and that from there you make the choice of how to work with them. That is very powerful compared to working for university instead, where you make yourself dependent of this institute, as you need to comply to their rules in order for you to get your certificates you need.

356. This is super gorgeous Lieke. In the past when it’s been exam season at school I’ve always – in one way or another – let my rhythm slide, or given up an element of my routine like painting my nails or having a bath because ‘I just have too much study to do’. I know this definitely isn’t the way to go about exams, because similar to your experience I can feel just how supportive it is to enter a test knowing I’m 100% looking after my body and 100% prepared (not stressed!) for the test. I’ll put this into practice this coming May/June – 30 exams here I come!

     1. Yes I can relate to that Susie, it is in a way lovely there are exams every year so we can have another go and experiment what way of studying works best for us.

        1. Wow Lieke, that’s a super interesting way of looking at exams – certainly outside the norm, where they are heavily dreaded when they come around!

357. This blog made me recall my own study experience (at high school and then further tertiary studies) some 3-4 decades ago where I spent many, many a late night and totally focussed on my assignments etc often to the exclusion of everything else. If I look back down, I can’t say there was a feeling of self care or regard for my body – it was just about getting the job done, regardless of how tired, stressed, overwhelmed etc I was feeling. Although I would have loved an example like this back then, and a different way to be with study, & although I’m not currently studying, this is a great reminder that self care is the foundation to supporting ourselves in whatever we are doing…. Whether this be study, work, family or otherwise. Thank you Lieke.

358. How amazing to read this from a young university student, a student who is really studying and living universal law in order to maximise her time, energy and learning while at university. This makes for a completely different experience of university life, an experience that feels like it will produce an accomplished, vitalised and prepared university graduate ready to embrace her career and life in equal measure with all pistons firing, as they say.

359. Now that is a study guide Lieke. What a magnificent approach to education and learning you have offered here. On reading your blog I recall my own experiences as an undergraduate student – late nights, coffee and super levels of stress. By the time I graduated I was a complete mess. Of all the beautiful things you have shared in this blog, the one that made me smile was your observation that studying in rhythm allows you to understand what you are learning in terms of the bigger picture. This cannot be underestimated in importance. Do we study to pass exams only? Or do we study to develop a deeper understanding of an aspect of life. For too many people it has become the former, getting through test by test. In the latter one we never lose sight of life and the appreciation it brings to the subject we learn.
     Lieke, you are an inspiration.

     1. Yes Rachel, that is a great question you pose: “Do we study to pass exams only? Or do we study to develop a deeper understanding of an aspect of life.” My experience is that because of the huge amount of material we as students have to remember for an exam it is easy to fall into the first, to study only to pass the exam. Though I am re-learning that as I study more with the understanding and curiosity, not forgetting what I was intending to learn with studying this course, it becomes more natural and not such a heavy thing to do. And it brings in the appreciation like you said.

360. Thank you Lieke for this beautiful blog on a topic that is quite elusive for many of us. The seemingly innocuous trait you talk about called ‘self-care’, is something most of us think is a choice we could make anytime we really wanted to… but just don’t most of the time. In my experience however there is a great deal that gets in the way of it and takes away any sense of real choice – and that is the presence of expectations, beliefs and ideals. My self-care was always good at one level, being a Naturopath and health-fanatic in my earlier years, but there were still always little things I couldn’t shift that would undermine me on a daily basis. It wasn’t until studying with Serge Benhayon and Universal Medicine, that I began to understand why I couldn’t make different choices around these things, despite my best efforts to. Once I shifted some of those imposed expectations and beliefs, my ability to make choices that supported me more fully became much easier, often effortless.

     1. I agree Jenny, those imposed expectations and beliefs that we place on ourselves, do not allow us to make what seems an obvious choice to self-care or support ourselves in full. To appreciate than we never need be anything more than who we are is a great reminder.

        1. Yes Victoria, and to know we are equal to the grandness we come from is also key in being able to support ourselves in full… as I’ve discovered.

361. Lovely Lieke! We have the responsibility to care for our body. This body shall do so many things for us and we have the tendency to ignore how much we ‘use’ our body. If I want to do a special job or activity, I have to make sure that my body is prepared for that. And not to forget that my body is not there to do what I want to do – but there to do what is needed to be done, there to express divinity.

362. A lesson for all students Lieke in the university of living and not be blinded and driven by accumulating facts most of which are ignored once the exam is out of the way.

     1. Love that Mary, ” a lesson for all students in the university of Living”… the one truly worth ‘mastering’ in.

        1. Love it!

363. To me this article is also relating to the way we work. I can say for myself that I still go often from task to task. I am honouring myself a lot more than how I honoured – cared for – than in the past, but I can still learn to really listen to when to work, when to drink, when to sleep, when to exercise, etc. And in all that also listening to myself what to eat, drink, etc. and how to do that. There’s a lot to discover and listen to. Thank you Lieke for your Gorgeous blog. It is reminding us – once again – that the people who are studying are more important than the study itself. Life is about people first!

     1. Such a great point you make here Floris. It’s the people who should come first before the studying, and I suppose we can use that in many situations. At work I often put completing a task before myself. If we were to make life about people first that would be a more loving and caring way to live, and that change can happen if we each start to do our bit and put our self care first.

364. I wish Lieke your blog was given to all students around the world on their first day of university how healing it would be for them.You are a great inspiration and leading light on how to get studying right!

365. Wow Lieke, what you are living and have shared here is a revolution not only to the way of studying and learning, but to the everyday quality, regardless of what we are doing. Focussing on the details, like being identified with or addicted to the repeatable knowledge, lets us loose the bigger picture, and ourselves within and the access to the source from where true knowing comes from. Through this separation, studying, learning and working often brings an anxiousness to the body that is like a tunnel vision. How great what you have discovered and developed and shared here. It is fundamental to make true changes to studying and also of course to practicing afterwards. So the beauty and power of your revelation is huge. Thank you, and please tell us more about what you are living and experiencing in the unfolding of this.

366. Lieke this is revelatory! What I am struck by is the incredibly balanced approach to life you have, as what you are describing applies to almost any potentially stressful situation, whether it be uni, work or something that needs to be done. I have always tended to take the obsessive approach, that is, do it all in one go and not come up for air until it’s done…. You can imagine exams were not an enjoyable time for me! I much prefer the way you are describing, having a balanced approach to life and not giving precedence to one thing over another. And I also love how you hold your relationship with yourself as the most precious thing here – a beautiful example of how to be successful in exams and not compromise your health or well-being.

     1. That is gorgeous Meg thank you, I know the ‘obsessive approach’ too! Not coming up for air until after the exam. What I noticed with this is that I then after the exam would feel horrible because of the lack of care for myself in the days before it was very tangible!

        1. Yeah – you need a recovery period! And you start to resent the exams and the university, instead of approaching it with the understanding that you simply didn’t make a great choice by not caring for yourself.

367. Lieke what a perfect timing to read your blog as I am studying for an exam I take in 4 days. The 2 things that help me most are the realization the exam is not something special it is just another activity I do and just as important as any of the other things I do such as brushing my teeth, doing shoppings or having dinner with my children. That takes off a lot of the pressure and allows me to enjoy it more. The second part that supports me is to focus on my body: to cherish and nurture it and especially to keep feeling it. So I know in what posture I sit, whether I need to move or drink something. I love your suggestion to spent time with people. I will add that one consciously the coming days.

     1. Thank you for sharing Monika. I love what you say here: “The second part that supports me is to focus on my body: to cherish and nurture it and especially to keep feeling it.” This is something that is not taught in school or at Universities, that our body is the most important thing in life to cherish and nurture first and foremost.

        1. Our body and the way we hold it, move it and take care of it is crucial in being able to connect to the wisdom we all have inside. And yet, just like you write, Lieke, there is no teaching about the importance of cherishing and nurturing our body what so ever. Like a set up to keep us from being the magnificent beings we originally are.

368. Wow Lieke, this is wonderful to read. This is such a different approach to studying and yet makes complete sense, it is all to common whilst studying to put studying first and our self-care and everything else second, I certainly did this with study. It is wonderful that you have shown that there is another way.

369. Hi Lieke, this recipe of self love would benefit many a student and non-students alike. Reading this brought back some unpleasant memories of how I used to study and get stressed about it, going over and over the same piece of information to make sure I knew it word for word, only to forget it all when in an exam due to being nervous.

     1. Yes so familiar Julie. I can recall moments when I knew on which page of the study book the answer to the exam question was though did not remember the answer itself! This show the ridiculousness of totally studying something word by word without understanding what it is actually about. Plus the exam questions are sometimes a little to much to some tiny detail as well in my opinion.

370. ‘By taking care of myself first, I feel more solid in myself and am much more able to see the requirements of the university, and make a choice how to work with them.’ Thank you Lieke for sharing how you have found that by looking after yourself whilst studying at university you have built a loving foundation that supports you through the more stressful periods of exams. I find this really inspiring and feel it can be applied to anything stressful in life eg deadlines at work or events at home where we might get pulled out by what is happening around us.

371. Lieke, I congratulate you for choosing your own way and becoming a truly amazing student: self nurturing, studies kept in perspective, and equal to everything else in your life and staying present with yourself. It is so easy when a student to put life on hold and focus mainly on your studies, particularly around exam times when things gets very intense, if we let it. I love the way you honoured your deep knowing of important aspects of your subject, rather than go into the anxiousness of trying to memorise everything. What you share will be of value to students around the world, colleges and universities. Thank you for re-writing the manual on how to study with ease and without stress, anxiousness and burnout. Gorgeous.

372. Lieke what an inspiring article about studying. It reminds me of when I studied and all the confusion around what it meant and the guilt that I never studied enough. What’s lovely about your sharing is that it is bringing it back to the fact that everything is equally important – something that I could well remind myself of in life today. Yet something else stood out for me whilst reading your blog – that it’s not about knowing every detail of what the textbook says but by getting a bigger overall picture and understanding of a topic, this then allows our own individual expression about that topic to be shared. It cuts back the copy and paste from the text book and allows us to share our own approach on what matters to us about the topic. A very expansive way of studying.

     1. Hello David Nicholson and I agree. There is a model out there for studying and most things that tells us that we need to keep doing more to be successful but every time you get to that point it tells you the same thing. It’s a never ending drive to succeed or be better that pushes everything else aside. I love what Lieke van Haastrecht brings in that everything is equally important and needs equal care. What is funny is that the blog is saying something very simple and it makes perfect sense and yet it’s not how we do things, why?

     2. Thank you David. I love what you have written here on the expansive way of studying not just as a total copy paste but making it your own, getting into understanding it in the bigger picture, in our own way.

373. Lieke this is so inspiring – it is beautiful that you are taking such great care of yourself and bringing balance to your life whilst under the intense pressure of studying at University. Your bullet points are a great ‘recipe’ for living life on a daily basis. Thank you for sharing ‘good medicine’ here!

     1. I love the bullet points too – pertinent to every one. My daughter just happens to be studying at the dining table right now and I read the bullet points to her as some really great tips.

     2. I agree Stephanie. I especially love how she has shared how this way has made studying feel ‘fun’. Who would if thought that was possible.

     3. ‘Good medicine’ indeed – I wish I’d taken some when I was at university. Looming exams dominated my life and everything else was postponed, especially anything that might be loving or joyful. So exams became a slog and life was put on hold. How different it would have been if I’d followed this ‘recipe’ for living life’. I hope many students will read this blog and put these tips into practise.

     4. University is basically the center house for disregard in my opinion. We lose touch in everything except the grades and sometimes the partying. I love how Lieke can bring care to university, where students are often careless.

374. Lieke, your list of how you support yourself should be the welcome pack for every freshmen ‘welcome pack’ entering higher education. Someday your list will work its magic when we first enter school and just be the natural way we live.

     1. yes I agree, sjmatsonuk if a welcome pack were presented to all Uni students…..and maybe extended to schools and to parents of school children it would be interesting to see if the rates of sickness and illness comes down as young people are not starting their life feeling under pressure, stressed and exhausted.

     2. Absolutely sjmatsonuk. Thankfully for all who read this, Lieke has brought the future to us and has shown how it can be lived already. And no doubt, her light and magic are being shared by all around her and making some waves already.

     3. What a great point you raise here. It should be in the welcome pack – the destruction of most people’s bodies whilst they are at uni is ferocious and seen as the norm’ and a given – compulsory almost to do allnighters, drink caffeinated drinks, eat sugary foods, feel anxious and not good enough, drink a lot of alcohol and maybe take some drugs. Maybe ‘fresher’s week’ should turn into ‘refreshing week’ where we learn and understand how to support ourselves as Lieke has shown and leads the way.

        1. You are so right about the one of un-written mandatory requirements of higher education… that requires the attempt to abuse ones body on a new and un-personated scale. How can these smart people be so numb?

     4. I love this idea sjmatsonuk ‘ the welcome pack for every new student. This would be a great preparation instead of how they prepare the students now with all the (not so) fun traditions to welcome a student.

     5. I had the same thought as I read through Lieke’s very wise blog; that this needs to be made available to all those starting University etc. In fact it needs to be presented to everyone, as life is a continual school. How much easier and enjoyable would it be to learn if we began with learning to look after ourselves first?

     6. I agree. Some of the tips I’ve received have not been supportive. The choice to not disregard my body with recent study went hand-in-hand with letting go of the need to have top grades. As I let this go more and more, there was less push in the way I approached study and then a lot of the time I did really well anyway without compromising my body for it.

     7. Hello sjmatsonuk and I agree we should build the education system on blogs and comments like this. Self care and self love first and then all else from there. As you say this is a way to live first, rather than education being the most important thing. It seems anytime we put anything more important then first our connection and care it comes at a cost. The cost at times isn’t obvious at first but as we can see from around us the current way we are doing things isn’t working. Things like this blog are well worth the change, thank you.

375. Wow Lieke, thank you for so inspiringly sharing about the basis of love for yourself, that makes you radiate with such beauty, stillness and a deep all-knowing joy from all of your photographs. Keep going for it.

376. Thank you Lieke, I especially love the way you have placed your studies as part of the bigger picture. You seem to have an awareness about the patterns of living that you are developing and how these can be supportive and with you throughout your entire working life, so it is definitely worth paying attention to them now.

     1. I love how Lieke is already aware that everything needs to be held in balance. To master this supports us to be fit for life and to have fun in all aspects of it.

        1. That’s true Sally, all parts of our life should be in balance. This is not always the case though it is great to see which areas we can work on. And the self-caring tips of Lieke are a great tool in developing this. Everyone will with time discover what supports him or her the best and with time this also may change or need adjustment.

        2. Yes very true Sally, I find the things that support me are changing and needing little adjustments at times like with what I eat or how I go about the studying. Not being fixed on it needing be one certain way.

377. Lieke I love how you have shown a more loving and self nurturing way to studying at university for all to see and ponder upon for themselves. Very inspiring.

     1. I totally agree Loretta, Lieke’s wonderfully supportive blog is so inspiring. I’m smiling as I feel how different studying would be for students at universities, Tafes, colleges etc if they found their own way to nurture and lovingly care for themselves as they studied. The whole pressure cooker feeling of these places would totally change too, imagine having fun while you study – what a game changer!!!

     2. Thank you for the tips Lieke. I am also studying and your blog is a very timely reminder on best practices.

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