The new year has arrived in all of its refreshing glory. It’s bringing new beginnings, hope, and an internal reset. Your body and mind start to relax, feeling a distance from the troubles of the past year.
As you look around, you’re mystified by the beautiful rhythm of nature.
An energy that's both imperceptible and plain that it’s seen in the changing of seasons or the way the sunlight sparkles through a babbling brook. You yearn to mimic this peaceful energy within your own life.
Striving to create your own rhythm and sense of presence through your being.
In the past, you acknowledged the new year by having an intimate conversation with your body. Thanking it for all it has provided, and vowing to take better care of your health.
Yet, you haven’t defined what that care looks like - or how it will present in your life.
The search to gain clarity and find a healthy rhythm that will ground you continues as you’re bombarded with “health” ads. In the past, you’ve tried joining a gym or spa in order to jump-start a new routine.
However, these options don’t seem to stick and leave you lacking the clarity you desire. This is because your outer world will always reflect your inner world.
The answer that you’re searching for is simple and yet complex. In order to have an abundance of health and peace in your life you have to create a completely new rhythm.
One that supports complete clarity of your desires and needs by syncing your mind and body. You’ll know you’re accomplishing this when you sense your whole body moving towards a goal with an unseen rhythm.
In order to achieve this state, use the steps below. You’ll find that sometimes the smallest changes will have the most profound effect.
The Power of Self Connection
The world can be so incredibly loud at times, that you can barely hear your own thoughts or needs. In the search for clarity in your health, connection to yourself is the first step. This is because it has a direct link to your well-being.
According to researcher Kristine Klussman1, self-connection is defined in three parts –
Awareness of oneself
An acceptance of oneself based on this awareness
An alignment of one’s behavior with this awareness
With most things in life, the process starts with awareness. In order to begin this brave learning you must ask yourself some questions and listen to your innermost responses.
First, envision the life you seek.
For example, you have the desire to live harmoniously in a healthy daily rhythm. When you speak those words and envision a healthy lifestyle, what feelings come to the surface?
Once you know the feelings surrounding the thought and desire, you can acknowledge them, accept them, and move on.
Acceptance is powerful.
When emotions are recognized and given space to resolve, you’re gifted the opportunity of clarity.
The final part of self-connection is behavioral change. This fuses the mental clarity received with physical actions.
In the case that the feelings around a new rhythm are nervousness or fear, a change in behavior is required. When this happens, seek activities and tasks that build confidence and trust.
Listen to Your Body
Do you ever feel like your body is trying to tell you something? That’s because it’s trying desperately to connect to you and tell you what it needs.
At times, our body has no choice but to get sick or break in order for us to listen.
We’re blessed with these intricate and intelligent bodies conditioned to support us in every way – from walking to breathing.
So when we don’t give ourselves proper nourishment, rest, and activities there tends to be a breakdown in our health. This breakdown manifests in chronic pain, and fatigue, or puts us at a greater risk of injury.
There are two parts to listening to your body – the physical and the emotional.
When speaking about the physical part, I’m referring to how your body physically feels day to day. Neck pains, back pains, or joint pains all come into play. Stopping to tend to these aches and pains, and giving them the attention they deserve is essential to your health.
Nutrition is also relevant when looking at your body’s physical health. Food choice plays a critical role in our energy, focus, and immune responses.
Yet, listening to the body isn’t just about stretching your hamstrings, taking medicine, or eating kale.
It’s about fixing the body as a whole.
In western culture, we approach healthcare issues by fixing the problem and not the cause. However, in eastern medicine, the treatment focuses on the whole person’s wellness.
Let’s dive further into this thought process –
We’ve discussed the importance and intention behind self-connection. Yet, we haven’t explored the co-dependent relationship our body and mind have with one another. This is important since one cannot thrive without listening to the other.
When you fuse the practice of self-connection and listening to your body, you gain insight into how best to support yourself and thrive.
Similar to self-connection, the act of listening to your body requires you to be still and focus inward. In that hushed calm, you have the power to find all the answers you desire.
The offering of wisdom comes when you observe the physical reaction in your body.
Let’s try it together now...
Take a moment, breath, and focus on a question you’ve been pondering. Now listen…
Did you feel a sensation of expansion or contraction in your chest?
Did you feel elated or overwhelmed?
Your body will not give you a long-winded response. Yet it will offer a quick physical sensation that will be pleasant or unpleasant.
That quick physical reaction is “your gut” telling you what it thinks about the situation.
This is how the mind and body fuse together to answer your questions and provide wisdom. Once you’ve collected the knowledge and your answers, you can apply them in your day-to-day life.
Create Your Own Healthy Rhythm
You’ve achieved clarity on your health through self-connection and listening to your body. Now you want to make changes to have a more peaceful and present life.
The steps below show the process of fusing the mind and body to make your health the best it can be – this year and every year after. Once you’re in rhythm, you’ll know quickly if you’re veering off your path and need to adjust.
Step 1: Practice a Form of Meditation
When you’re connected to yourself you can find the answers you need and how to proceed.
Self-connection takes flight during the process of meditation. Yet, meditation isn’t always sitting quietly in a room. It can include journaling or spending time in nature.
I invite you to try different ways to connect to yourself and see which one fits best for your needs.
Step 2: Show Your Body Love
Your body is here for you every step of the way. No pun intended…
Be conscious of your nutrition decisions, making choices that will help fuel your body and boost your immunity. Certain foods such as superfoods will replenish your body and mind – giving you the nutrients you need to thrive.
You’ll also want to connect to your body through physical movement. This can encompass taking a stroll, doing yoga, bike riding, or trying that fitness class you’ve been eyeing.
Whatever speaks to you and your body…listen.
Step 3: Make Your Health a Priority
Prioritizing your health and the actions needed will foster a new rhythm in your life. This new routine may feel disruptive at first.
Yet, I urge you to continue along this new path.
The discomfort will be temporary as you re-wire your habits to ones more aligned with your needs. Once you get past the first days or weeks of change, you will notice a significant improvement in your overall well-being.
The compounded efforts of waking up early to meditate for 15 minutes will result in more presence of mind.
The 20 minutes of an evening walk and stretch will result in feeling more in tune with your body and greater mobility.
These destinations are only achieved when a change in behavior and deep understanding are accepted and welcomed.
Get the Support You Need to Thrive
Everything starts with self-trust and the desire to improve.
When the wisdom that your body is passing on for you to thrive is received and understood, magic happens.
There’s also something magical when a community of like-minded people comes together.
I’ve created a community with the intention of supporting one another to increase awareness, equity, and support.
Through this thoughtful village, I provide my insight and knowledge to other caregivers.
Holding space for questions and leaving room for answers. I offer expertise in relevant topics, share my experience, and support the community members.
The Modern Collaborative Classroom is not just a community of caregivers, but a place of reflection for the mind and body. A refuge that invigorates its members to be the best they can be for those around them.
If you’re searching for wisdom, tools, and rejuvenating energy to carry with you day-to-day check out, The Modern Collaborative Classroom, "Lactation & Infant Care."
This class will empower all and deepen knowledge of infant feeding.
I leave you with this question –
Are you ready to be in rhythm?
This is your invitation to experience what it feels like to be in a rare co-creative space. Sign up now to be truly seen and heard.
Commentaires