The Mind/Body Connection of Self-Care
We can change our patterns and change our reactions to response as we open our awareness.
It is common to find our needs moving further away as we put the needs of others at the top of our list. As it is with with the instructions from the flight crew on an airplane, first secure your oxygen mask before attending to your children. In daily life we can tend to forget this. We get caught up in the patterns we have created; not even noticing what is taking place. But a pattern is just a pattern; we created it and we have the ability to change it.
Our mind/body connection helps us to become more mindful to care for ourselves as we notice what our bodies are expressing, because what is happening in our mind is directly connected to our body. Our thoughts are constantly sending information to our body, and those messages can cause us to clench our jaws, tighten our shoulders, stiffen our backs or cramp our legs, just to name a few things.
These messages are creating patterns with which our bodies become familiar, expressing them automatically. We can change our patterns and change our reactions to response as we open our awareness.
We can mindfully choose to redirect our attention on a regular basis by becoming aware of our body and noticing how it feels. We will then be more aware when our shoulders hunch or when our jaw clenches. Here are a few simple actions to do:
- Set our intention for the day before we get out of bed as we stretch like a cat, taking a few deep breaths and smiling as we connect with our intention.
- Notice how our body feels and set a parameter for noticing how it feels when we are relaxed, focused and clear so we that can redirect our attention once we notice a physical change.
- Take two deep breaths every hour after completing a task or a series of phone calls, or as we notice our body tensing. Focus on two deep breaths and just feel it.
- Stand up and stretch like a cat every hour, especially when sitting for long periods of time. March in place for 20 steps with arms swinging.
- Drink lots of fresh, pure water. This not only keeps us hydrated, but will nudge our bodies to get up every so often.
- Smile into our breath. Our cells will smile right back and those around us will smile, too.
Lois Kramer-Perez, CHt, is an intuitive practitioner offering her clients tools using simple techniques for awareness, clarity and empowerment. Contact her at 201-906-5767, Lois@ LoisKramerPerez.com or LoisKramerPerez.com.
