a little "tweak" 😣 ❤️🩹😓 ❤️🩹
I was reflecting on a recent experience - and I'm willing to bet you can relate! 😉
One Monday morning, not long ago, I dragged myself out of bed a few minutes later than usual. I was especially exhausted, following an intense weekend on the go with travel and family commitments. I really didn't feel like getting up yet.
(You with me so far!?!?) 😂
Knowing I wanted to still be in bed, I gave myself a mental congratulations and moved to the exercise mat.
The next question...what exercise to do?
I really, really wanted to do yoga.
My body seemed to crave the gentle stretching and breathing that became a regular part of my morning routine 4 years ago.
But... it was Monday.
And over the past couple months I'd committed to trying a new, high intensity program. A 17-minute video of unpleasant exercises 3 times/week. Mondays. Wednesdays. Fridays.
That's do-able, right?
And it was Monday.
I over-ruled my craving for yoga and started the video, telling myself I could do yoga later or tomorrow, but that I "should" stay on track and fit the Monday video in first.
Within the first 5 minutes, I felt a small "tweak" in my back.
Immediately, I paused what I was doing and tried to stretch it out.
CHhhhhK, CHhhhK, CHhhhK...🚨 😳
I felt the domino effect as my spine shifted even further out of alignment and I struggled to stand upright again. 😬😩
A little tweak...followed by a lot of pain, appointments, medications, icing, stretching, schedule disruption, etc... All because I over-ruled what my body was telling me it needed.
Gentleness.
Breath.
Stretching.
Had I listened, I feel quite confident the injury and subsequent recovery period could have been avoided.
Maybe I could have returned to the video later. Maybe I could have skipped it that day.
The world would have kept turning, right??? 😄
Maybe you also need reminders to listen, tune in, and then be responsive to what you hear from your mind, body, and emotions.
Can you relate?
How often do you over-ride what you need?
Tune it out?
Explain it away?
Delay it to a "more convenient time"?
And how often, then, does it come around to bite you?
Certainly, back pain is a clear signal to slow down.
But if I'm being honest, there were earlier signs too. Other things I'd been pushing through to keep to my self-imposed expectations and deadlines. Prioritizing of the urgency around me while trying to side-step the increasing urgency within.
What about you?
By the time there's an unavoidable setback...whether an illness, injury, or relationship fallout...can you trace back to the earlier, perhaps more subtle cues that you needed something different?
What did you you need then?
What might you need now?
A walk?
A laugh?
A listening ear?
A response of validation and understanding?
A moment to breathe, stretch, and tend to your emotions?
One "little" thing ignored can lead to a lot of pain - whether physical, mental, or emotional. And the accumulation of needs ignored can ultimately cause significant damage. Once damage is done, slowing down becomes unavoidable, and your effort and impact are delayed as well.
My hope is that you're both listening AND responding to the little cues...before they become loud alarms. 🚨 🚨 🚨
My hope is that you use this as a reminder to tune into what you need in this moment so that you can sidestep some of the little tweaks, and continue to live your best life with your greatest impact.
You matter. You make a difference. I'm so thankful you're here.
