An Invitation to: Wake up AND Love Your Body
Between the trifecta of...
...menopause, aging parent's health challenges and the impending funeral of a 55 year old son of treasured friends, impermanence is on my mind. To sum it up; my own changing body, witnessing aging, death, & grief are a lot to swirl altogether and keep the positive outlook that I know is best for me. The question surfaced, “How am I going to live this cycle of life with grace, and dignity?”
Then this morning I had a conversation with an acquaintance that was clarifying. She had had a heart health scare that landed her in the hospital, that seemed to come out of nowhere. In retrospect, though, she could absolutely see the signs as plain as day. Without throwing anyone under the bus, let me just say this has been a recurring theme lately.
Hind sight is 20/20. It seems though in 2022, “self care,” needs to include not only paying attention to manicures and bubble baths as part of building your best life but also listening to the sometimes quiet or even scary signals your body is sending. It’s easy to make excuses for fatigue in the last couple of years. It is easy to explain away headaches, or mask them with a pill. A new question began surfacing for me, “How to live this cycle of life with eyes wide open, tuned into aging and still with grace, and dignity?”
Brings to mind that old, Oil of Olay bi-line, “Grow old gracefully? I’m going to fight it every step of the way.” Yuck. That sounds exhausting. Aging is a part of this deal called being human, why fight it? Instead I think being present to it is the way I’ll go.
Have you ever thought about creating a relationship with your body? One that goes beyond magazine-cover-fluff-variety self care? One that honors the gift that this vessel is?
That is what I am advocating here. This is mindfulness. Waking up to the gift that your body is and then listening to it. This requires quieting the racing thoughts of the mind and being present to your experience. It requires taking recurring symptom messages as a signal to get help. Go to the doctor. Go to a counselor. Go to a psychologist or psychiatrist. Saying, “I have headaches,” or, “I’m always tired,” and doing zero about it is not serving anyone. Perhaps the drug commercials with the horror show litany of side effects for all the, “cures,” they promise, reinforces the likelihood of trading one suffering for another, so you roll over and say defeated, “that’s just something I have.” Or maybe you keep looking to find a doctor that cares about your well being, one that you are comfortable with, one that is innovative and brilliant —and do it early.
I am not saying that this 55 year old son didn’t pay attention. In fact his painful health struggle was practically life long, and he lived with joy and purpose like a lot of healthy people never do.
What am I saying? Listen to your body. Aging (and every one is, btw,) requires attention. Create a relationship with your body. Check in with it regularly. Are you having symptoms that you are denying? Are you waiting for a less busy time to make that doctor appointment? No telling how that’s going to turn out.
If you want to start to create a relationship with your body, or deepen the one you have, join me for my annual, “love your body challenge-2.0.” February 15, 16 & 17 three days of focusing on your body, increasing your awareness and having fun.
This stuff doesn’t have to feel heavy, as a matter of fact there will be daily prize drawings each day that you can enter by doing the challenges suggested. It all takes place in the face book group I'll go live daily at noon EST and you can catch everything you need via email as well. Join us by clicking here.