Hi friends,
Last week, I wrote in this newsletter all about my word of the year, Motion, and how I was using it to propel myself toward my daily goals.
Then, of course, the Universe came to show me a lesson.
Over the last week, I caught a bad cold that’s left me feeling congested, tired, and with the worst brain fog I’ve experienced in a long time. I was admittedly too wiped out to even be mad about it.
So what is the lesson here? I am still figuring that one out, but over the last few days, here are some of the things I've been thinking about.
1. There is a quote that says, "If you listen to your body when it whispers, you won’t have to hear it scream.” Was my body telling me to slow down? For some reason, yes. So all I could do was listen and honor its needs.
Is your body giving you any signs? Do you need to slow down, or perhaps it's the opposite and you could benefit from embracing movement more? Listen to your body's whispers.
2. Do you ever feel guilty when resting? I do and it’s something I’m working on. We can
blame capitalism, and also
take steps to stop feeling bad about ourselves when we take time to slow down.
If you also feel bad when resting, what can you do to honor yourself better? Whose permission do you need to take a break?
3. Resting gives us space to reconnect to our inner wisdom. As I was lying sick in bed, I purposely kept my phone in another room. I was reading a book but also dozing on and off throughout the afternoon. In that time, my mind was free to daydream and wander. As someone with a high impulse to check my phone at nearly all times, I felt an odd sense of relief being away from it.
I also felt a reconnection to my own thoughts. When we’re constantly scrolling through the news or social media, it’s easy to lose control of our own thoughts, ideas, and even opinions. Our thinking becomes enmeshed with others. We’re subconsciously influenced by what we’re seeing and it often doesn’t leave room in our minds to think for ourselves. It felt good, even great, to take a brief break and get back to myself.
Are you relying on social media and the news too often these days? Would you benefit from time away from it?
I'm happy to report that I am feeling much better today. No one likes being sick, but perhaps it was the slow-down I didn't know I needed. If you've also been under the weather, or are going through a hard time, I'm wishing you a speedy recovery and sending lots of love.
xo,
Lisa
