But Does Your Body Love It??

As a child I absolutely loved movement and being active. It made me feel alive. Skipping, hopping, cartwheels, riding my bike- it was all pure joy for me. And I still love moving and challenging my body, especially in the sport of triathlon which involves swimming, biking and then running. My friends know I get great joy, purpose and meaning from my triathlon journey. They may not understand “why” I seem to thrive from endurance training, but they know it is a big part of who I am. Until this year….

For the past year my body has sustained numerous injuries, illnesses and setbacks which forced me to cancel races, change my goals and re-define movement. Whenever an injury would heal I would jump right back in to strenuous workouts, setting my sights on the next race and feeling a sense of hope again…only to have another roadblock surface. Apparently my body and mind were at odds with one another.

There is a wonderful quote from American Tibetan Buddhist Pema Chodron that is a beautiful and powerful reminder to us all:

I am fortunate to be surrounded by wise women who are willing to tell me what they think and feel. And after being sidelined again, this time with broken bones, several of these dear friends suggested I use the down time to simply sit with the stillness and reflect on what my body needs and wants. Perhaps all of these setbacks were happening for a reason? And so I finally sat still long enough to listen. I asked myself the question “What is my body trying to teach me and what does it need”? The message wasn’t exactly deafening at first, more like a silent nudge to really pay attention. As unpleasant as it was, I finally surrendered to hear and understand what my body was trying to say. It was time to slow way down. It was time to find less stressful forms of exercise, less pounding and pushing, more discovery and learning new things.

I’m embarrassed to admit that for years I have encouraged others to “listen to your body” and frequently say “our bodies are so wise when we listen”. As the expression goes, sometimes we teach what we most need to learn. I am stubborn, but I finally stopped and listened. It was not what I wanted to hear, but it was staring me in the face. And I surrendered. I knew at a deep level that it was time for me to put racing aside. My body doesn’t love it anymore. It’s an invitation (plea?) to discover a new form of movement that will allow me to flourish and thrive.

My invitation to you: invite stillness and listen. Whether it is your food choices, your schedule, or your choice of activities, does your body love it? If not, surrender to what your wise body may be telling you. That is when true flourishing can begin.