The body is so smart. It toils away, digesting and cleaning up and clearing out, renewing, replacing and rebuilding. It does this with minimal conscious input from us - thank goodness! When I think about how long it takes me to clean out my pantry, I'm really glad that 'do internal clean up' is not on my daily list.
And yet.
We often make it really difficult for the body to do what it needs to do. We stress, we don't get enough sleep, we don't move enough, we spend our time in a state of angst, constricted and uptight. We push against our body's needs. We can't repair and rebuild efficiently in this state, and we end up fatigued, depleted, cranky and anxious.
We live in stressful times, there is no doubt about that. But it is easy to lose perspective. For the majority, we are pretty healthy, have a home, fresh food available plus valuable friendships and relationships. We can complicate it with trying to achieve world domination, but that stuff gets exhausting. Enough with trying to do more. I suggest, do less. Not in a lazy way (though there's nothing wrong with some sloth action), but more in a way the prioritises what makes you feel good, where you find a deep sense of satisfaction and peace and calmness.
Calm can get a bad rap, and be confused with boredom, but to me the difference is in the sense of peace and turning inward, rather than feeling agitated and looking to others for what we should be doing. When you are calm and at peace with yourself, there is no need for external validation. No need to make excuses for whatever it is you are doing (or not doing). It is being able to be fully immersed, with ease and a sense of softness.
I had to find that myself this morning. I had great classes planned for this week, and was so looking forward to seeing everyone. And so, with yet another lockdown, I was feeling out of sorts, thinking I should be productive but not sure where to start, like a dog chasing it's tail. I knew I was useless until I could get back in my skin. And, whilst I can head to the studio and do my own moves, I wanted an adultier adult to tell me what to do. So I did an online class with one of my favourite teachers. It was exactly what I needed. Not a lot of structure, and I had to listen to my body, and simply move in a way that felt good. By the end I said out loud to myself "Hi! Welcome back!" feeling like a goose for talking to myself, but also for letting myself get so caught up in knots of my own making.
Leave space in your busy life for more peace, self care and self love. I can't think of any better ways to practice self care than with movement that makes me sigh, a good book, an engaging show, spending time in the garden, being around those I love (I include my yogis here). It's really not that complicated.
So, given that you may have a little more time this week, plus school holidays coming up, here are some book & show suggestions from me to you:
BOOKS
When the Body Says No - Gabor Mate
Mamas Last Hug - Frans de Waal
Educated - Tara Westover
Force of Nature - Jane Harper
Maybe You Should Talk to Someone - Lori Gottlieb
Daisy Jones and The Six - Taylor Jenkins Reid
Gut - Giulia Enders
The Menopause Manifesto - Dr Jen Gunter
SHOWS/MOVIES
Mare of Easttown
Fleabag
Little Fires Everywhere
Generation Wealth
Morning Wars
Pecking Order (the poultry version of 'Best In Show' - another favourite)
You Can't Ask That - all seasons
With love,
Amanda x
