Self Care, Slowing Down

Life is humbling.

 I'm afraid the writing of the last post on self-care lead me to have a demanding, draining, nose-to-the-grindstone, at-my-limit sort of day.  It wasn't until the late afternoon that it all caught up to me.  I began to have awareness that I was feeling irritable BUT (a big but) I thought,  "This meeting will be done any minute".  BUT, the meeting went on for an hour past when I was to leave for the day.  Then I thought, "I'll leave after this phone call".  BUT the phone call went on for 40 minutes.   And then I had to document the phone call...and on it went.  

It was another lesson that knowing and doing are not the same thing!

I didn't want to stop.  I got caught up.  I wanted to get certain things done.  I wasn't thinking about my own needs.  I was working my hardest to be a "good"  employee, to be responsible.  Even though, I felt the tension I still didn't slow down and take care of my needs.  I ended up paying for it in the long run.  I felt crabby and stressed until I finally did slow down and take care of me.  What a great reminder!  Maybe next time I won't forget!  Well, maybe.

The pressure we experience, sometimes on a daily basis, can sneak up on us and hit us over the head before we even realize it is happening.  This can be addictive in our get-it-all-done, competitive, fast paced culture.  We get caught up in all our effort to do the right thing.  The stress and tension build and accumulate over time until we get to the point of being depleted, done, good night.

The potential fall out could be stress related illness.  Our bodies try to tell us, "slow down" and we don't listen.  We feel the tension, tight stomach, fast heart rate and it might even feel like we are rockin it on the surface.  Then, if we keep up that pace, we end up getting sick with headaches, stomach aches, fatigue, or irritable mood.  Basically we end up running ourselves ragged, which might force us to slow down, but maybe not.  Maybe we keep work, work, working until eventually our bodies say, "enough" and this comes in the form of disease or illness, accidents, violence or divorce and then we are forced to stop.

In Timeless Healing, Dr. Herbert Benson (lead researcher in the body's stress response) cites several studies that indicate somewhere between 60 to 90 percent of medical visits are for stress-related problems.

The antidote is deceivingly simple in thought, and extremely difficult in practice.  Just stop.  Take a break.  We can tune in to what we need.
It doesn't take long, we just need to do it and feel the sweet relief.

We are the only ones who know what we need.  We are the only ones who can tune into those needs and fill them.  We are a powerful force in your own health and well being.  Our actions and attitudes will either lead us toward health or away from it.  With effort, we get a little bit better at it each day.

Much love to you.