Trust Your Body to Be Well Now
How can you Be Well Now even through the holidays or during stressful times in life?
By knowing that well is not when everything around you is going well, it's the whole person state of trusting what you know inside as your guide.
When in the stress state your brain is focused on the threat, trying to find the way to fix fight, or flee that threat. That creates tension so your body is ready to respond. Your thoughts and your body can quickly become a threat, and it seems impossible to escape the stress state.
Your brain needs a way to trust what is here now and your body needs movement to clear the tension.
The key to being well now when life is stressful is trusting that tension, the busy brain, and the strong emotions are reminders to pause for a moment of Mindful, Science-based Movement to shift your body and brain from the trying state to the trusting state.
Your body already knows how to move in a way that leaves you feeling and functioning better now. In my last post, I shared the way to restore this foundation for moving well.
Your brain already knows the principles of how your body moves and grows strong and well. The results you get from following these principles are greater for your whole person and more lasting for your whole life.
How do you follow these principles? Mindfulness allows you to listen to what you already know inside, without the noise of 'shoulds' about how to move and how much is enough. Moving your body intentionally (AKA exercising) in a way that aligns with movement science restores movement as a resource to Be Well Now.
The difference is, that this is not moving to get somewhere else, this is moving to be here now. To do this, we need movement science to remind us that our body grows the same way everything does in nature:
Individually - Trees will grow in their way at their own pace. The more you listen to your own body, rather than compare it to someone else, the more you can restore the ability to move to Be Well Now
Specifically - A tree will grow to be the type of tree you planted. When you listen to what your body is telling you it needs before you move, then listen mindfully as you move and after you move, you restore trust in your body as your most qualified guide.
Gradually - A tree will grow slowly. You cannot speed it up. Give it just enough of what it needs and trust the process. Your body changes gradually too. You can not jump-start it. Giving it more than what it needs to be well right now will only keep you in a stress state. The way to know how much is enough is to listen to your body in this moment.
Reversible - Care for your tree and it will take care of you, producing fruit that is sweet and nourishing. Care for your body with daily moments of moving mindfully to shift out of the stress state and back to the well state, and you get to Be Well Now even when life is stressful.
You know these principles. They make sense. Your body makes sense.
Meet yourself where you are. Trust what your body is telling you now.
THIS is the way to Be Well Now.
It is not easy. We have so many messages that tell us the opposite. They grow distrust of what our body, brain, and heart are telling us now.
We have many faux stressors in media advertisements and fear-based messages from influencers. We have devices like activity monitors that if we are not mindful of how we use them, deteriorate trust in our bodies. Social media often celebrates those who push through pain, hunger, and fatigue to get to a goal weight.
We have had experiences of pain and illness and our brains can believe that is a sign our body is working against us.
Our brain and body can get literally addicted to the stress state. We can believe we need stress, fear, and guilt to be motivated. Being healthy can be a practice of overcoming rather than caring for your body.
Which of these examples resonates with you?
While it can seem like there is much to rewire to restore your innate ability to Be Well Now, it starts with trusting
your body knows how to move well
your brain knows how to grow well and
your heart knows why you want to Be Well Now
Rewiring happens in moments of a mindful, intentionally kind movement. These are moments of Celebrating Well - celebrating your well-being and celebrating moments in the well state, even the ones filled with stressors.
Cheers to your ability to Be Well Now.
Tomorrow I'll share more about how to restore your ability to Be Well Now.
Share this with someone you know who wants to celebrate December in the Well State.
Why wait until January to be well?
If trying to eat healthily, exercise regularly, and manage stress have you stressed this holiday season, the Start Well in December Special is for you! Check it out by clicking the button below.
