Today I want to challenge you to think about your relationship to your body. The following is an article I wrote for the Zenana Spa and Wellness Center newsletter:

How does your body communicate with you? How often do you pause to really listen to the messages your body sends you?

Your body can offer you two types of wisdom:

• Clear signals about what you need in order to be healthy.
• Intuitive information or guidance about your life direction and choices.

At times you might notice a vague sense of discomfort in your body but you don’t stop long enough to determine what it is. Or, you forget to listen to your body’s signals until you finally break down, get sick or are too exhausted to function. Sometimes your body speaks loudly and you still ignore the messages.

There are also times you might not want to listen to your body. When you are busy and stressed, you might not think you have time to slow down and take care of yourself. You get caught up in being productive, taking care of others and feeling overwhelmed. And the less you tune into your body, the more you miss the subtle messages.

But can you really afford not to listen?

Your body also sends you information through physiological sensations. Your heart rate increases, you begin to sweat, your belly or chest feels tight, or you have a sensation of “not right-ness.” Your body is asking you to pay attention.

Remember the last time you felt a strong sensation in your belly or a gripping in your chest right before you made a decision that you later regretted. If you had stopped to pause and reflect on the guidance you were receiving from your body, would you have made a different choice?

Isn’t it wonderful that your body actually does talk to you? Instead of feeling frustrated that you are so sensitive or trying to avoid pain and anxiety, you can choose to embrace the wisdom that your body offers. Once you make the commitment to being mindful, you will find that pain and anxiety decrease. Your body will not have to talk so loudly!

What signals have you been ignoring? Pause and listen to your body right now. What do you need? It might be as simple as a glass of water or as life changing as a new vocation.

Remember, listening to your body is being loving to yourself.

I am offering a FREE women’s circle on Saturday, May 16th from 3 to 4pm at Zenana Spa. We are going to focus on connecting to our body wisdom. If you want to join me, please RSVP.

For my nurturing today, I got a massage. For me, bodywork is a way to listen deeply to my body and take time to relax and restore my energy. As a massage therapist, it is imperative that I get regular bodywork. I am also very blessed to have health insurance that covers massage therapy. And don’t even get me started on how necessary it is for insurance companies to cover alternative and preventative health care…

What was your Self Nurture practice today?

Today is the first day of my annual Self Nurture Challenge, leading up to Mother’s Day! I want to encourage and inspire all mothers to consciously choose to care for themselves with tenderness and attention so that they have more energy and presence to give to their lives and families!

Often we think of Self Nurture in terms of our actions:  taking time for ourselves, getting regular exercise, keeping up with health-related treatments (like massage therapy or acupuncture), eating healthy… But I love to share about the deeper aspects of Self Nurture.

More than our actions, Self Nurture is about our attitudes.

While actions like eating healthy and exercising are great for you, they are not nearly as nurturing when your attitude is one of “I  have to exercise” or “I need to eat salad so I can lose weight.” When your attitude is one of obligation and deprivation, you are not truly nourishing yourself.

Throughout my life, I have struggled with the delicate balance between being healthy and allowing myself to enjoy simple treats and pleasures without guilt.

So, to begin our Self Nurture Challenge, I took myself out for an ice cream cone last night. Standing in line, I noticed a little boy, maybe 5 years old. He was holding a 20 dollar bill in his hand and jumping from foot to foot, eager to order his cone. His freckled face was beaming with delight and  and his entire body was alert with expectation.

He wasn’t worrying about calories or wondering if he should be eating dairy right now. He didn’t care if the milk was organic or if the chocolate might keep him up at night. He was intent on enjoying the ice cream with every fiber of his being.

I decided to do the same.

And you know what? It tasted better!

Now, this does not mean that I will make this a weekly ritual. I know that dairy doesn’t agree with me in large quantities and I do like to be mindful about what I eat. But, enjoying (truly enjoying with presence) a yummy treat occasionally is important for my well being!

Every day this week, I will post a new thought or insight about Self Nurture and share my nurturing activity for the day. I invite you to participate and leave a comment with what you are doing to care for yourself this week!

So, how are you nurturing yourself today?