Can you over-exercise and feel sore? Can you overeat and get a belly ache? Can you over-stretch and feel pain? Yes to all of these, but how do you prevent this from happening?
First and foremost, remember that pain is your body’s way of communicating with you. Pain is not necessarily a “bad” thing. When I have been sore after a hard workout, it reminds me that I need to continue to strengthen because I have gotten weak. When I have overstretched because maybe I wasn’t fully listening to my body as I was stretching, that reminded me to pay attention. Sometimes, these things just creep up on us even when we are paying attention, though. It felt so good while I was exercising, but afterward, I couldn’t move and the same thing could happen with a stretch.
This may be avoided by starting off slowly with any new routine whether it be exercising, stretching, dieting, or even making postural changes. Extreme changes are a lot like a car accident: any sudden, abrupt change will jolt the body and cause pain. The remedy when this happens is to do the opposite. Slow down, listen, and feel what your body is trying to communicate.
We can overstretch ourselves with obligations as well and that has a very similar effect. Many years ago, I was completely overstretched with very long days and no time to rest. I didn’t know what to give up so my body intervened and I got sick. This forced me to really look at my schedule and make changes not only to the obligations that I had but also to my thought process. I was not only racing around physically but also mentally. There was no time for the silence in which God could speak to me and guide me. How could I hear the truth about what I was doing to myself physically and mentally when I couldn’t even stop to sit down and eat breakfast or lunch leisurely?
COVID was a wonderful opportunity for all of us to really evaluate what we were doing and prioritize. I realized that I was made for quarantining. I love being at home and not rushing around. I loved doing things with my kids and being able to keep up with the house chores. Now that things have reopened, I’m finding that I really need to set boundaries to how much I do so I do not over-extend myself. I remind myself that even God rested on the 7th day. If God can rest, so can I!
Thank goodness the cooler weather and shorter days come around every fall and winter. This is God’s reminder that we need to rest. So, on those days that it isn’t favorable to go outside, give yourself permission to be still. Here’s God’s voice and let there be peace.
I give myself permission to meet my needs.
~ Your Inner Guide
Voyage to HEAL Weekly Focus
Stretch: In week #4 of the Voyage to HEAL there is a progressive muscle relaxation that addresses the Vows of Armor that we unconsciously follow. It’s the negative thought processes that keep us from peace such as feeling ugly, dumb, fat, not good enough, lazy, not worthy. These are all lies that push us into doing things that we know aren’t right for us. I am going to share this meditation with all of you so that we can stop believing external lies, and focus on the one true source of truth that lies within us, God. You are loved. You are perfect. You are safe. You are healed. *Out of courtesy for those who have purchased this meditation through the Inner Peace Meditation CD, this video will only be available until next Friday.
Exercise: Get that pelvic floor and core on, squat as if you were skiing, and turn your knees left and right for 1 minute as if you were slalom skiing. Have fun and pretend that you are an Olympic athlete! Feel free to hold onto a chair or countertop if needed.
Habitual change: Do not rest your head on your hands. If you are doing this, you are tired! Go rest. Even a 5-10 minute breathing break can re-energize you.
Enlightened Perspective: It is ok to set my boundaries so I do not over-extend myself. I give myself permission to set my boundaries without fear, guilt, or shame. I will do what I can.
Journaling Option: I am overextended in this area of my life _________________________. I can change this by……..
This week’s blog correlates with week 4: Vows of Armor, of the Voyage to HEAL as well as week 8: I am enough. I encourage you to listen to both meditations. Let peace flow through you and unto me and out to every heart you touch. Come start your Voyage to HEAL.
Godspeed on your Voyage to HEAL.
Love,
Jocelyn