Red light, green light
I hope it’s not going to take my whole life until I learn the importance of rest. How ironic! Sometimes it feels that way. Why is it so difficult for me to give myself a break? If you go on vacation, change your location, turn off all your connections to the world then you can take a break. But what if you need to do this right here at home. There always seems to be something that has to be done, someone you need to call, something that must be crossed off your list.
One lesson I learned while I attended massage school included the idea that pain is the body’s way of communicating to us that something is out of balance. For example, carpel tunnel syndrome may be the body’s way of telling you that you are working too many hours, or that you may to rethink your ergonomics at your workspace. The pain in your wrist may be your body’s way of telling you that something needs to change. From Wekipedia we learn that Homeostasis (from Greek: homoios, “similar”; and histēmi, “standing still”;) is the property of a system, that regulates its internal environment and tends to maintain a stable, constant condition.
When our body is out of homeostasis, this is when the body starts to communicate to us that something needs to change. When systems are out of balance things began to break down. We all know the importance of eating right, getting plenty of rest and exercise. When we slack on any of these self maintenance habits, our body will not work at it’s best. This is when we get sick, or cranky, or out of our comfort zone.
It really is true that the world will go on without us. Things that need to get done will get done. It is essential that we learn to listen to our bodies when they tell us to stop. It quite literally is a life lesson. Next time my body is trying to tell me to slow down, I am going to listen. What a lifesaver!
Betsey Brogan is on her way to creating World Peace - one massage at a time. On-site Chair Massage and In-Home table massage. Bringing Stress Relief to You.
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wow….very well said indeed. i espec like your good reminder that, as urgent as we feel our To Do’s may be, it’s really true that the world will keep on spinning. and things will be ok.
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thanks for this…..and loads of other things too, sibling!
Yes, Betsey, thanks for this. Just this week, in fact, a friend who was seemingly healthy but working very hard, DIED – at 48, from an apparent heart attack. I don’t know the details, but I know you are right about the world going on, and that as important as the to-do list might seem, it is not that important in the grand scheme of things. So again, thank you for the important reminder!