What is Your Body Saying?

We know that our body gives us clues that we are hungry, thirsty, or tired. When we are hungry, our stomachs grumble and growl. When we are thirsty we crave water and our mouth gets dry. At times when we are tired our eyes begin to droop and our bodies slow as the night gets darker. These are cues that we know well. But what if our body is trying to tell us more than just when to eat and sleep? What if our body wants us to know more?

            Not only does our body want us to know more, but it gives us cues about what we need and how we heal. What might your body be trying to tell you? Many times, we do not stop and listen to what our body needs until it is screaming at us. The way in which our body screams is unique to each individual, however we do share some similarities as people. Our body screams in anxiety when we are chronically stressed, over stimulated, or fearful. Our body screams in depression when we ignore chronic stress, lack meaningful connections or fulfillment, and deny mood fluctuations that deserve attention. Our body screams in fatigue when we do not take time to decompress and rest. While this is an oversimplification of complex mental health issues that include biological reactions, environmental stressors, relationship factors, psychological influences and societal context, we often overlook what our body is telling us.

            While our bodies react in different ways and for different reasons it is important to listen to the small cues our body gives off rather than waiting for the undeniable breaking point that we tend to wait for in order to take action and seek help. What might happen if we reached out to social supports at the first sign of depressed mood or explored the influence of chronic stress on feelings of fatigue instead of pushing through another day feeling tired. How might our body thank us when we listen to the whispers?

            Not only do we need to listen to the whispers, we also need to respond. This is where coming up with rituals and routines that support wellness assist us in listening to our body. These rituals can be personalized to you as long as they are intentional in increasing our mindfulness of what we need. Perhaps we need to create rituals of connection by spending more time with people that we share emotional closeness or we spend a moment in quiet reflection at night after a busy day to express gratitude for the chance to try again tomorrow. The ritual itself is only as meaningful as the need that it responds to. Let’s explore how we can listen to our bodies more fully and give ourselves a little more of what we need.