Today, I want to talk about information. Specifically for those of you dealing with a health thing (and who of us is not?!?), what information is helpful and what isn't? Maybe you have your go-to websites or practitioners or doctors. Or maybe you feel lost and don't really know how to get the information that will help you on your healing path. Either boat you are in, you still need some reliable way to wade through it all. How? Stop and listen. Not to any outside source, but simply to yourself. I know it can be challenging if you feel lost and maybe disconnected from a body that isn't doing what you would like it to do, but it is the most reliable way to navigate the healing journey. The pathway to your healing, even if you have the exact same issue as someone else, can and probably will look totally different. Tuning in is your superpower. No matter what you've got going, the very best thing you can do before you pick up your phone is stop and listen. You could save yourself a lot of time, energy, worry, and money by just simply stopping and paying attention to your inner signs. If you need a little help doing this. Try this: 1. Take a few moments to sit quietly. 2. Notice what you are feeling in your body. Is your breathing easy or labored. Do parts of your body feel light? Do other parts feel heavy? Just note (no judgements here). 3. Hold a question in your heart and mind. It could simply be, "What is the best thing to do for myself right now?" or "Please send me guidance on how to go from here." or it may be more specific such as, "Will this practitioner be supportive to my healing?" 4. Then wait and see how your body responds. You may get the word "rest" in your mind and you take an exhale. You may call someone into your mind and your muscles begin to tense (usually a sign to hold off). 5. You may get nothing at all. If that is the case, just keep asking and wait. Don't force an answer. Life has it's own timing and way. If this happens, change things up. Watch netflix, take a walk, clean a cabinet in your house. Give this a try. And remember, you are in the driver's seat. Information is a tool for you, but shouldn't rule you. Taking time and space could give you the best information you need to go forward on your healing journey!
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If you are one of the many dealing with a chronic health condition (pssssst: anxiety and depression count too), self-care is a must. But it can be so confusing, not to mention time and energy consuming to know what to do, when to do it, and why. The things that are meant to be making you feel better can actually cause you a ton of stress (not what we want with chronic illness)! I have thought about this a lot and realized something big is missing in the self-care culture...the HOW.
In the mad rush to self-care ourselves to health, we have missed a or possibly the most important part- intention. In most instances I see people bound and determined to diligently practice their self-care. They are doing everything "right," but can still be dragging, or if not dragging, resentful because half of the day is spent trying to fit everything in. Think of when you were sick as a child and someone cared for you. Or if that didn't happen for you, you can think of when you cared for someone who was sick (maybe a spouse of a child). Do you remember the feeling of receiving or giving that care? There was something extra besides just offering tea or medicine. It was presence, concern, a response to what was needed in that exact moment- maybe an extra pillow, tissues, a rub on the back. In our best intentions to do self-care we are missing this. It has become another thing on the "to-do" list rather than a genuine living breathing intention of care. So how can you make self-care more alive? 3 Simple Ways to Bring New Life Back to Your Self-Care: 1. Try incorporating a self-compassion meditation into your daily routine. This type of meditation is called Metta. In traditional Metta meditation, you first offer well wishes to yourself, then you expand out to offer these wishes to loved ones, and then expand out to offer these wishes to all beings. But for the purpose of bringing care back into your self-care practice, I encourage you to just do the first part, offering yourself well wishes. To do the self-compassion meditation: Sit comfortably. Bring your attention to your heart center. You may say out loud or silently: "May I be happy. May I be peaceful. May I be well. May I be free." Feel that energy permeate your heart and whole being. It only needs to be about 5 minutes. Try this consistently for a week and see if your self-care feels a bit different. 2. Consider creating a mantra for your self-care that you can say before you do it. It may be something simple like, "I offer this to myself in loving care." Or it may be specific to the practice, "Shakes bring yum to my tum!" Just make a point to bring a loving intention to it. 3. Mix it up. Self-care can get really boring- and not just for your mind. Your body and spirit can get tired of the same old, same old. You need to keep things fresh so that inspiring life energy can be in on the process. It is this energy that heals. If you are taking supplements that don't seem to be doing too much, switch it up. Find a new place to walk for your daily exercise. It doesn't have to be a complete re-haul, in fact it probably shouldn't be considering healing takes time. You just have to freshen it up. Think more along the lines of getting a new mousse for your hair rather than a mohawk! I hope something in these words inspired you. Please reach out if you have any questions about this or need any other ideas (I've got a ton!) Until next time. Katy |
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AuthorKaty is a Craniosacral and Somatic Therapist specializing in healing chronic health conditions through nervous system health and healing. She is passionate about giving people suffering from chronic illness a new perspective on how to heal and the tools on how to do just that! ArchivesCategories |