As I jumped into my car, information flashed up on my dashboard that a service was due. How many times, does our body or mind flash up warning signals to say that we are in need of some maintenance and attention? We get repeated signs but still we don’t tend to do much about it until we have a total breakdown of some kind – whether that is an illness or an accident where we are literally stopped in our tracks. If you are like me, you look at the car warning light and will do something about it in the coming weeks. I was thinking how I have my priorities wrong and many of you may feel the same about yourselves. I will pay for a car service without too much hesitation, but when it comes to spending that same amount of money on myself, then I have to think long and hard about the decision. Personally, I view a massage, reflexology or a natural therapy as a treat when really it should be part of our general maintenance routine much in the same way as having a regular service or an MOT. My thinking is I really need my car, but why don’t I think about my body in the same way?
So why am I pondering on this? One of my New Year themes is to look after myself even better than I do now. I like to think that I do take care of myself through my yoga practice, healthy eating and good lifestyle choices, but to use the car analogy, I need to go the extra mile to keep myself in tip top condition without feeling guilty or self-indulgent about it. After all, the better you are, the more you can give to others. Have you failed your own MOT or are you currently on an advisory? What actions can you take to make sure your pass your own bill of health with flying colours?
Now just for fun…would you like to see what your body is telling you?
Years ago, my friend and I had great fun emptying her fridge and testing our reactions to the food contents. Common sense tells us which food is good for us and what is not so good, but you may find that even the healthy foods don’t work so well for you.
Stand with your feet hip width apart with your knees softly bent. Ask your body to show you a ‘yes’. Usually this is slightly falling/leaning forwards or sometimes leaning back. Repeat the exercise, asking to be shown a ‘no’. Noting those indicators, then hold a food to your stomach and ask ‘is this good for me?’ Which way you fall will indicate whether this nourishing to your body or not. Keep a list of all the Yes and No foods. If you can create meal plans around your ‘Yes’ foods, notice if there is any improvement in your physical, emotional or spiritual wellbeing. Have fun experimenting! Please let me know how you get on.
