Thursday, August 27, 2015

Your Health is THAT important

by Dana L. Barron, PhD

Sometimes we get so lost in the sea of obligations that we lose track of what feeds our energy and what drains it. But the body is keeping score. If the balance tips too far toward draining or depleting activities, the body will start to whisper. “I’m stressed out.” Or “I’m really tired.” Or “I need a break.” We ignore it for now, and we “power through.” So it starts speaking a little louder. “I can’t sleep.” “I have a headache, an upset stomach.” Maybe we do something to ease the discomfort – an over-the-counter remedy or an extra cup of coffee. And then we power through some more….The more we override the message to slow down, the louder the body must speak.  Eventually there are symptoms we can’t ignore, or even a diagnosed illness. We’ve been running on empty and the body is saying NO.

When the stress first registers, it can seem impossible to lighten the load. If I let anything go, I think, I will let someone down, and I can’t do that. Or worse, I will lose my job or someone will get hurt. Sometimes the stories we tell ourselves are true and often they are not, but we generally cannot tell the difference. Sometimes it takes a crisis to clarify what is important and what is not, what is nourishing and what is depleting.

Here’s an exercise that might help you regain your balance, before your body starts to scream.

Make a list of your responsibilities and activities. Include everything on the calendar and the TO DO list. Now, imagine that someone you love has a crisis and needed your help. To make time, you must cross five things off the list. What would they be?

Even if it was hard and you were afraid of the consequences, you would cross things off to make time for a loved one. Why would you not do the same for yourself? For your health and well-being? Try. It truly IS that important.

Dana L. Barron, PhD is a health coach, advocate, and herbalist. She helps clients understand the functional imbalances that are causing their symptoms and design integrative solutions to regain health and vitality. She also guides clients in their relationships with health care providers to ensure they are getting their needs met. She can be reached at 215-688-5108 or healingpathcoaching@yahoo.com.

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