The Body as a Temple (How to Be Your Own Life Coach – Lesson 4)

Notes from the online course – How to Be Your Own Life Coach – Lesson 4. – The Body as a Temple

Your body tells you other things, too, but sometimes it is just hard to hear it. If you live on a diet of fast food, your expanding waistline tends to be a loud expression. But there is much more to it than that – if you pay attention, you’ll notice that you feel slower, more muddled, and more lethargic when this is your regular diet. If you suddenly start eating significantly healthier, you’ll find that your brain works better in addition to the changes on the scale.

Many of these changes we simply do not notice because we’re not tuned in to our bodies. For many of us, as long as our body gets us through the day, we’re satisfied. But the problem is, eventually it demands to be heard and usually when things are out of control.

 

Eating is a key area of listening in to your body – the human body craves nutrients and a multivitamin, while helpful, just is not going to cut it. Your body also wants water; oftentimes, it wants more water than you can even imagine. But you will find, when you start giving your body what it wants (as opposed to what your taste buds want), it will respond positively.

Exercise is another area that we often consider as important to keeping our weight down, but the fact is we all need to exercise our bodies regardless of our weight. Getting regular exercise doesn’t have to be expensive, nor does it necessarily need to take any time out of your schedule! For many of us, our lives are physical enough and we simply need to kick it up a notch to get it to count as exercise. If you garden, challenge yourself to get as much done as possible in a specific time frame. If you are cleaning house, put on some music and go faster than normal. If you like to be social, join a walking group or look into local sports teams.

Now, many of us have additional challenges to listening to our bodies and getting the right nutrition and exercise our bodies need. Those with chronic illnesses, special physical needs, and more often face significant obstacles when it comes to these areas. If you struggle with these issues, there is a positive flipside: those with chronic illnesses, disabilities, or other physical challenges, often are far more tuned in to their bodies to start with.

In your journal, start tracking what you do with your body and then how it feels. Write what you eat and drink, what exercise or physical activities you do, how much sleep you get, and what kind of stress you are under. Then write how you feel physically, mentally, and emotionally. Start tracking patterns. Spend some time each day with your eyes closed, really focusing in and listening to your body. Trust it. It will guide you.

Listening in to your body presents special challenges because you often struggle with mixed communications – you may know that your body wants exercise, but alternatively, that same exercise may increase your pain or decrease your ability to fight off infections. Your illness will likely cause extra stress on your mind and heart as well. Know that there is a lot of support out there for you. If you cannot find a local support group, consider starting one; you could also go online where you are sure to find a group for you.