As a lifetime self-employed, recovering workaholic, MFA A-student, I, too, have long been working on recognizing my own fight or flight full-tilt windmill responses and setting new, healthier self-care boundaries, rituals and routines.
I so needed to hear all this!
A wonderful gentle reminder that it isn't just one-and-done "SOLVED"! ;-) It's like grief or forgiveness: you have to gently keep at it to get through it. (And sometimes you come out the other side right back in the middle again!)
Also: the body does LIE! LOL! Such a great insight! The trick is in knowing when...how and why!
Ditto my body not always adhering to the supposedly-healthy-for-everyone-else lists! ;-)
I’ve had to evaluate how I abuse time. I can squeeze so much in a minute. Now I’m slowing my pace and breaking between activities even if I don’t need the break to relearn how to appreciate time.
The conference things is so on point. I went to a conference and breakfast was at 7 am!!, workshops began at 7:30am and there was something every minute until 7 pm. I had no FOMO and just redesigned my attendance level for rest.
I used to teach all day and then realized I hadn't used the restroom for 10 hours. I got good at ignoring it's signals. I'm trying to listen better now.
Thank you for this - I always learn something for my journey from your reflections on yours.
You've got me thinking about how important community is for helping us listen to our bodies' wisdom - I know it's not always possible, but as much as possible, surrounding ourselves with people who honor our desire to listen to our bodies and support us in it.
I'm thinking of a podcast I was a guest on, and I was a little embarrassed to have to ask for a bathroom break - but the hosts were so supportive and talked about how they've been learning to honor their bodies' needs and are encouraged to see me doing the same. Hoping we can become people who all do this for each other!
I love that you've encouraged us to listen to our bodies, but also pointed out that sometimes trauma and anxiety can lead to the body sending messages that are unhelpful. It's a tricky, self-unified practise to really listen. Thank you.
I relate to this so deeply! I hadn’t thought of asking WHY my body is signaling something, unless it’s obvious! I will be adding that question to my body check-ins!
Oh my gosh all of this! But the conference thing really got me. When I am doing extroverted things all day (meeting, presenting, teaching), it takes me 2-3h to wind down afterwards or I cannot sleep, like hardly at all. It took me years to realize this and now I only do that for a day or two at a time before building in a full day for recovery after. I’ve found that the more rest I build in, the more I get done, because I’m not forcing myself through something my body and mind are fighting against. But academics lovvvvvvve to brag about their work hours and lack of time off. It’s time to change the norm!
Yes, I am continually learning to listen to my body. Yes, I start with the ideal day and check list. Your words speak to parts of my journey of disconnecting my body from my head. Learning mindfulness and becoming a student/teacher of MBSR opens for me a healing, aligned space within and without.
Lovely Dr. Chanequa Walker-Barnes!
Thank you!
As a lifetime self-employed, recovering workaholic, MFA A-student, I, too, have long been working on recognizing my own fight or flight full-tilt windmill responses and setting new, healthier self-care boundaries, rituals and routines.
I so needed to hear all this!
A wonderful gentle reminder that it isn't just one-and-done "SOLVED"! ;-) It's like grief or forgiveness: you have to gently keep at it to get through it. (And sometimes you come out the other side right back in the middle again!)
Also: the body does LIE! LOL! Such a great insight! The trick is in knowing when...how and why!
Ditto my body not always adhering to the supposedly-healthy-for-everyone-else lists! ;-)
Thank you! ;-)
I’ve had to evaluate how I abuse time. I can squeeze so much in a minute. Now I’m slowing my pace and breaking between activities even if I don’t need the break to relearn how to appreciate time.
The conference things is so on point. I went to a conference and breakfast was at 7 am!!, workshops began at 7:30am and there was something every minute until 7 pm. I had no FOMO and just redesigned my attendance level for rest.
I used to teach all day and then realized I hadn't used the restroom for 10 hours. I got good at ignoring it's signals. I'm trying to listen better now.
Thank you for this - I always learn something for my journey from your reflections on yours.
You've got me thinking about how important community is for helping us listen to our bodies' wisdom - I know it's not always possible, but as much as possible, surrounding ourselves with people who honor our desire to listen to our bodies and support us in it.
I'm thinking of a podcast I was a guest on, and I was a little embarrassed to have to ask for a bathroom break - but the hosts were so supportive and talked about how they've been learning to honor their bodies' needs and are encouraged to see me doing the same. Hoping we can become people who all do this for each other!
I love that you've encouraged us to listen to our bodies, but also pointed out that sometimes trauma and anxiety can lead to the body sending messages that are unhelpful. It's a tricky, self-unified practise to really listen. Thank you.
“ So then I make a choice. I take a risk. I observe the impact. I learn. And maybe next time, I choose better. ”
Gonna hold these words close! Often I choose not to take risk out of fear of error but learning that the risk and learning my body is worth it.
I relate to this so deeply! I hadn’t thought of asking WHY my body is signaling something, unless it’s obvious! I will be adding that question to my body check-ins!
Oh my gosh all of this! But the conference thing really got me. When I am doing extroverted things all day (meeting, presenting, teaching), it takes me 2-3h to wind down afterwards or I cannot sleep, like hardly at all. It took me years to realize this and now I only do that for a day or two at a time before building in a full day for recovery after. I’ve found that the more rest I build in, the more I get done, because I’m not forcing myself through something my body and mind are fighting against. But academics lovvvvvvve to brag about their work hours and lack of time off. It’s time to change the norm!
Yes, I am continually learning to listen to my body. Yes, I start with the ideal day and check list. Your words speak to parts of my journey of disconnecting my body from my head. Learning mindfulness and becoming a student/teacher of MBSR opens for me a healing, aligned space within and without.
I did a body scan this morning for this very reason!
Such wisdom here! Thank you.