Listen to your body.
If you know me in person, or if you follow me on social media, I'm sure you've heard me say (more than once), "listen to your body." If I have any advice to give, that's the best. Y'all it's so important. No one knows you the way you do.
It's also common for me to be asked, "how?" "How do I listen to my body?" "What does that mean?" So let me see if I can explain.
It's hard for me. This is something I've been doing since I was first diagnosed with fibromyalgia at the age of 19. No one told me how. No one even told me to. I just did it. Naturally. I didn't want to slow down but I quickly learned some things led to more pain than others. Some things would take longer for my body to recover from. So I learned what was what.
I realize though, that this is not the case for everyone. And, honestly, it seems to not at all be the norm. So, I'll do my best to help, because I feel it is so so important to our health.
Our bodies give us so many cues. Muscles tense up. Stomachs churn and cramp. Our bodies want to give out. We get headaches. Our brains become foggy, making it difficult to think or concentrate. I could go on, but I think you're probably getting the picture.
Y, all, these are all signs from ourselves telling us to change something. But what? How do we know?
Invest in a journal. It doesn't have to be anything fancy. It can be something as simple as a spiral notebook or something with more guidance like one of my favorite Dailygreatness journals. (These are fabulous by the way.)
Start making notes of EVERYTHING! Seriously. What did you eat today? How much? How did you feel afterward? The next day? What else went into your body? Think OTC's or prescription meds. Or maybe you use essential oils* or another natural form of pain relief. What did you drink? Write It All Down!
Did you workout today? What did you do? For how long? Notice anything different in your body? Where? How does it feel? Did you feel better or worse afterward?
Where you active or sedentary? What types of things did you tell yourself today? (Y'all, self-talk is sooo important! We'll address this in a future post.) Who did you surround yourself with? How did they affect your overall thinking and feelings about yourself?
I know, in the beginning it can seem like so much. It can feel like too much work. And if you're expecting immediate answers or changes, you're likely to lose hope and give up. Let me first encourage you not to do that! That's the worst thing you can do.
Start off small. Pick one area you want to focus on first. Then add another, and another. Choose a journal (like the Dailygreatness Wellness Journal) that will walk you through with prompts. Eventually you'll find yourself doing it automatically.
Just whatever you do, don't give up! Remember, you're doing this for you. You're working toward health and finding your best self. So, now you choose. Are you worth it or not? If you're asking me, I say you absolutely are!
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