Although most people would say that their biggest struggle is finding the time to prioritise their selfcare and wellbeing; there’s another key area that I see is holding most people back from caring for themselves well …
And that’s being attuned to their body so that they can effectively tend to its needs.
Because, if someone isn’t connected to their body and can’t hear what it’s trying to tell them (through symptoms) then how can someone act on those signs and symptoms?
Furthermore, some people even have a negative relationship with their body where they consciously or unconsciously fight, suppress, or ignore their symptoms. This is actually one of the more common reasons why people get run down, burnout and suffer from regular illnesses – because they’re not paying attention to their body’s symptoms and then acting with their body’s needs in mind.
So how do we look after and care for ourselves well – how do we practise good selfcare?
There’s a framework I’ve developed through working with many people over the years, and although it may sound obvious or simple to some, this process is key to achieving good health and wellbeing and practising good selfcare:
Step 1 – Awareness
Nothing can change or happen without self-awareness – what I mean by this is awareness of your body and its symptoms. To look after and care for yourself and your health you need to create a close connection with your body, you have to understand it’s language.
Step 2 – Conscious choice
Once you become aware of your body’s symptoms you then have a choice – what do you do about it? Do you act in a way that supports your body the best way you know how? Or do you ignore it, or do you even do something to suppress the symptoms and override what your body is trying to tell you?
A common example is staying up late even when you know you’re tired. Or drinking more caffeine when you’re tired. Taking cold or flu medications to push on through rather than rest. I do appreciate there are instances where this is necessary, but many people do this when, instead, they could honour their body and rest.
Step 3 – Discipline
Oftentimes, but not all the time, you will need to draw on some self-discipline to do what is best for you and your wellbeing.
For example; going to bed early when you feel run down. Getting up a little earlier so you can prepare a good breakfast for yourself. Planning your food shopping for the week ahead so you have enough ingredients for nourishing meals therefore avoiding takeaways or choosing less healthy convenience foods. Making time for a walk at lunchtime … The list goes on.
Step 4 – The right advice for YOU
Lastly, you need the right advice for you and your body, your individual needs. There are two parts to this:
Firstly, you need to be discerning about the external advice you take notice of …
Not everything that is supposedly good for our health and wellbeing, suits everyone. Common examples here are fasting, detoxes, low-carb diets and intense exercise regimes. The science behind strategies like these can be very compelling, but the stats are based on a body that is in balance … and many people are dealing with chronic stress to some degree, so they are not in balance.
And herein lies the issue: many health-promoting activities are actually a stress to the body; the body then responds to that stress by making adaptations that typically make us more resilient and healthier. However, if someone is already dealing with high levels of stress then the additional stress can have the opposite effect and be detrimental to our health.
I’m afraid to say that this is often the case with fasting, low-carb diets, intense exercise regimes etc. Especially for women whose hormones are changing as they move through the perimenopause – these regimes are too stressful for the body and cause further imbalance.
So, it’s firstly about the right advice that will work for you, and this may require personalised healthcare by working with an expert who understands the nuances of your body and your situation as an individual.
Secondly, it’s about what is right for you in the present moment …
For example, what was right for you last week when you felt X symptoms, might not be right for you this week if you experience those same symptoms again because you’re dealing with other stressors and your body might be in a different ‘state’.
Here’s an example: Let’s say you have a workout regime where you do intense cardio two times a week. Last week you’d been sleeping well, and your stress levels were low. This week however, your young child has been waking you up at night, so you’re sleep-deprived, and work has been really stressful, you’ve also worked through a few of your lunch breaks, so your blood sugar is now all over the place. You feel exhausted but also tired and wired. In which case, sticking to your usual cardio workouts would not be ideal as you’re already stressed and exhausted, instead you’d be better off using that time to rest, eat properly, go to bed early etc.
To summarise, this means you’re not taking a blanket approach to your health and wellbeing … Which, brings us back to step 1 – self-awareness – you need to be self-aware to know what’s best for you at any given moment.
I hope this email has been helpful and if you recognise you struggle with your selfcare, pay attention to which step you most struggle with and see if you can now work on that area moving forwards.
And, if you’d like some personalised support in caring for yourself and your wellbeing, get in touch for a complimentary consultation where we can see if my coaching and mentoring can help you.
Kate x
