When life gives you lemons…
So maybe you’re reading this in a very flowing, wonderful, abundant season. You’re committed to your daily rhythms and you feel in tune and connected with your body. But maybe that’s not you! Maybe life took a wild turn lately and you are feeling like “what the heck happened” in regards to listening in and honoring body. Maybe gentle nutrition and your loving habits are the first thing to go when life’s events get a little stressful.
So how do you remain connected and feeling well physically when things begin to get a little crazy or feel overwhelming. I am in the thick of learning that when life gives you lemons, it’s not always in our control to immediately flee from the season. We get to actually grow THROUGH the season. My next mission after realizing that, was to try and actually remain physically well and connected through stress.
Our eating and stress are so directly connected, and if we can choose to recognize that we get larger as we breathe and grow THROUGH the season, we aren’t entering into the fight or flight mode of “how can I get out of this.” Does this feel familliar? Things get crazy, you drop all loving habits and eat whatever is in sight in a disconnected way (or forget to nourish all together) and go back to your positive habit loops when life calms down.
So what would happen in your life if you chose to let go of control, paced yourself through the season instead of always running from yourself, and kept your grounding habits in the middle of the storm. Sister, if you are anything like me, I’m sure your body is tired of the roller coaster of being prioritized to being ignored. Keep the habits. Stick to your daily movement and nourishing meals. Breath deep before eating. Up your spiritual practice. These are the very things you NEED, to grow and stay connected through the challenges. When you tell yourself you don’t have the time because life is “too crazy,” you’ll be stuck on the roller coaster. It doesn’t serve you.
Three to do’s if you are in a stressful season:
1) REMEMBER TO NOURISH!
Set a timer if you need to, and take three deep diaphragmatic breaths before you eat to help activate the parasympathetic nervous system (aka rest and digest) Sometimes its easy to put eating on the back burner when you’re stressed because adrenaline is high, but nourishing your body with three loving meals a day will help ground your body into helpful rythyms, and avoid that adrenal fatigue burnout!!! It also will physically help curb anxiety because you are keeping your blood sugar balanced.
2) SWITCH TO GENTLE MOVEMENT- Observe-how are you working out? If it is seeming more like punishment to your body, slowdown and choose something that feels loving and connecting. Really connect with your breath and bring your thoughts into ally thinking. “I am a friend to my body.” “I am safe in my body”
3) HAVE A GROUNDING EVENING ROUTINE
Have you ever felt like you can’t rest until things aren’t stressful anymore? That you have to strive and stress until its all “under control” Well guess what, it doesn’t serve anyone for you to ditch the very things that will help life feel less stressful. Sometimes circumstances in life are a little out of our control, and when we can commit to our loving rhythms, it will help us to feel stronger, and it will help us to process and grow through the stretching season instead of just wanting OUT.
xo, Joy