My Body’s Name is Felicity
If you're anything like me, you can mentally handle things (or think you can) until your BODY tells you, that you can't. For so many years I would ignore what my body was communicating to me. Whether it's age and I've had more time to get to know my body, or being so stressed out that my body literally shuts down, I've learned that my body cannot be an after-thought. I need to respect it's needs as much as the needs for my mind and soul. We're all made up of a mind, body, and soul. Just like the trinity, they're all one, but distinctly different. I love how God creates things in life to demonstrate his creativity.
Here's the deal, we only have ONE body and it's smart, it's beautiful, it's complex, and it's precious, so we must listen to it and take care of it. One way we can do that is by being aware of our own unique energy levels. Everyone has energy and everyone has limits to their energy. When our physical body is tired and drained, it creates a problem for ALL areas of our life. It is the tool/mechanism/vehicle we use every.single.day. It deserves to be taken care of and listening to your body really just means to be mindfully aware of how you usually feel and when things feel different, so it's not a huge time-sucking task. It's just a small edit to make to be more mindful.
My body has a name
At one point, when I was not mindful of my body or taking good care of it, I decided to try something weird. I named my body- and I named her, Felicity. It helped me take a step back and get a new perspective on how I was treating my body. If I imagined my body was someone else, a beautiful, valuable woman, would I still deny her what she needed to thrive? Would I intentionally deny Felicity nourishing food, a good night's sleep, hydration, exercise? Would I ignore her when she said she was tired or sore? Would I ignore her needs, even though she's been with me longer than anyone else?
Why do we ignore our bodies? When I was pregnant with both my girls, I was hyper aware of my body, because it wasn't just me, it was a life that I was growing. But I wonder, why it had to be that way? Why it was okay to not take care of this body that I was given to steward.
In 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 it says:
Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.
We can find ourselves focusing on our mind and spirit so much, we miss the opportunity to also take care of the third component, the temple that God has gifted us. Churches focus a lot on a teachings about our minds and spiritual life, but I haven't heard very many teachings on honoring our bodies. It can be such a private thing. All I ask is that you consider giving your body similar attention that you give your mind and spirit!
If you were going to name your body, what would her name be and how could you be more kind to her? And when I say be more kind, it's not to prevent breakdown, or lose extra weight, but truly out of kindness for yourself, for the body that you get to have for your time on this earth?
Drainers and Gainers
We all have energy drainers and gainers. What gives your body true energy? What exhausts your body?
When I think of my energy drainers and gainers specific to my body- some of my gainers are massage therapy, regular chiropractic adjustments, facials, drinking 64oz of water daily, getting at least 7.5 hours of sleep, taking a nap, wearing clothes that fit me well, soft blankets to cuddle up in, breathing fresh air, taking my vitamins, hot rice pack to put around my neck. These are what work for me, take some time to think about what gives your body energy!
As for energy drainers- being touched by my kids all day completely takes it out of me. I love them so much, and I know they will only be little for a little longer, but I refuse to go crazy and feel depleted. Going to bed late and not getting enough sleep, eating a lot of sugar, drinking tons of caffeine, wearing clothes that are too tight or too baggy, exercising too much, not drinking enough water, and being around people a lot with no break.
We all are different and unique with what nourishes our bodies! If you're thinking that's great Tabatha, but I don't even know when my body's energy levels are low! Here are some Red Flags to look for:
brain fog
tearfulness
inability to focus or sleep
a change in eating patterns
not doing your normal amount of personal grooming
getting sick more often
more moody than normal
your productivity is less
you have body pains
We live in a fast paced world and it's so easy to not pay attention to these red flags, which is why I think it's so wise to have regular quiet time during the week to check in with your mind, body, and soul. Do a physical scan to discover if there's anything going on in your body that needs attention- starting at the top of your head and work your way down to your nose, neck, shoulders, chest, hips, fingers, knees, feet, and toes. Another thing to do is to reflect on how much sleep you're getting- not how long you're in bed for, but how long you're actually sleeping. Isn't it interesting that as new moms, we obsess about our kids sleeping, but when it comes to ourselves, we don't think twice about it? Sleep is necessary and it the first step to taking care of that beautiful temple you have.
Making small edits to benefit your body is going to benefit your life immensely. Paying attention to the physical and mental queues that your body gives you will serve you well, and the good thing is that when it comes to listening to your body, there's no right or wrong way to go about it. So, start small and extend grace to yourself if it's been awhile since you've checked in with your body.