I understand what it’s like to spend hours every day searching for information about how to fix something “broken” in me. I know what it’s like to constantly think about what I should be eating, how much exercise and what kind of exercise I should be getting, and what supplements I should be consuming.
I know what it’s like to spend my time thinking about my life, but not actually living it.
While for the most part when I started to see how this was true for other areas of my life, I wasn’t totally sure it worked for health and wellness. I mean the research shows so much information like, you should be getting 150 minutes of moderate exercise every week, proper hydration needs to include 64 oz of water per day, you should eat the foods with all the colors of the rainbow EVERY SINGLE DAY, consume 60-80g of protein EVERY SINGLE DAY, and don’t forget to make time for meditation, rest and play. EVERY.SINGLE.DAY.
You see, there are rules out there about how to be healthy. And we are told that these rules apply to everyone. Eat the right foods, exercise the right amount, sleep the right amount in the right conditions, etc, etc, and etc, and you shall be healthy.
So you do your best to do all the right things you were told. When some other expert in a different health field comes out and tells you all the rules you were told were not actually right. Oops!
I think science is wonderful and we learn so many things through it. BUT…it also is always changing and if we get too caught up with it with begin to ignore our own body’s needs.
Your body doesn’t need an exact 150 minutes of exercise, your body doesn’t even know what minutes are.
However, your body does need and want to move.
Except, of course, when it doesn’t. There are times where it makes sense to rest for days or even longer. And that time isn’t wasted, especially if you allow yourself to rest without judgement.
So what’s the best advice? Move your body when and how you want to move and rest your body how and when you want to rest.
How do I know when to rest and when to move?
This is the magical question.
My guess is that you actually already know the answer to it, it’s just that the voice telling you when to move and when to rest has been stifled over the years. It’s been buried deep because you’ve innocently paid more attention to the other voices in your head telling you what’s right and what’s wrong with you and your body. Consequently, you spend your time trying to fix all those things and the other voice goes ignored.
But when you pay attention to this other voice, the things that needed fixing, no longer seem like they are broken.
Here is an example from my own life:
I used to struggle a lot with thoracic pain, I would wake up most mornings with achyness and stiffness that would make me cringe and hesitate as I pulled myself out of bed. I focused a lot on my exercises to fix this, after all I am a physical therapist! And things would kind of get better, but then get worse again. I even did some TikTok videos about what I was doing to heal and overcome this pain.
I got a comment on one of these videos the other day, asking how my pain was doing now. The individual was struggling with the same thing, and was herself seeking relief. In that moment, I realized I hadn’t been complaining or suffering from this pain in quite a long time, and I didn’t even notice it had gone away.
What had I been doing differently? Living in the moment and doing what makes sense to do for me, as often as I can. What does that mean? I’m living by my own instruction manual, at least most of the time.
I’m resting when I’m tired. I’m riding my bike when I’m not. I’m also dancing to my favorite songs several mornings. Other times I sit in silence, eat congee, and stay up late watching a family movie.
Through this instruction manual:
I’m discovering that the more I honor what I actually want, the healthier I become. But even more important than my health, I actually enjoy my life more.
Isn’t that the reason you want to be healthy in the first place? You believe you can enjoy your life more when you feel better in your body.
Want access to your own instruction manual? I would love to help you find your own.
Schedule a free call or send me an email to learn more about what’s possible for you and your own health.
Sending love where ever you find yourself on your journey,
KC