Do you Hear what I Hear?

It’s December, one of the busiest months of the year, next to June in my opinion, if you have school aged children! As mothers, we are usually the ones responsible for making the holidays magical, fun and special. Many times, you even do “all the things” at the expense of your health. What if you didn't have to feel exhausted, sick or resentful come December 26th!

What if you could create the magic and excitement and still feel good! Still have energy! Still have joy! Still feel peace. What if there was a new way?

How can this be accomplished with so much TO DO?!

It can be done. 

It starts with tuning into your body. If you pause, take a breath and feel what your body is feeling. What do you notice? Does your neck hurt? Is your jaw tight? Do you feel sick when you look at the size of the to-do list? In yoga therapy, we like to call those feelings or signals from your body “yellow lights”. Like the traffic lights we use for safe vehicle operation, the signals from our bodies can tell us when we have “gone too far” or “done too much”. The signals are different for everyone and it takes some time to learn what they mean. 

So what does the “yellow light" from our body trying to tell us?

As in traffic control, the yellow light is a warning that the light is about to change. Drivers should slow down and prepare to stop if it turns red. So how can that translate to your body? Well, if you are able to pause and feel that your neck is tight and your jaw is tight and your breathing is shallow, you could reflect on that. What is your body trying to say? Is it fatigued? Are you hungry? Do you need to stop and look at your schedule? Do you need to stretch? Do you need to move in a different way?

It could be saying all of those things or none of those things. That is what YOU need to determine. You need to practice the pause and tune into your body and what it is telling you. When you listen and give it the support it needs, you will have more capacity to do more!

What? How will I have time to pause when I have so much to do?

That is the magic you will create with yourself! By listening, and pausing and learning what YOUR body is saying, you will create more time and energy to do “all the things” and ENJOY “all the things”!!! When you get better at realizing your body is saying “enough for now, let's take a short break” or even “lets pause and take a walk or stretch”, you will find you can do more! There will be days that your body will say “keep going you’re good” and you will be surprised that you are not exhausted at the end of the day or the week or the month. 

Yes, you can get it all done and feel good!

And...

You will also be able to say and realize that sometimes you cannot stop and will have to drive through that red light! We have all done that!

And…

That is okay too. You can MAKE that choice to go through the red light because you know what to do to support yourself when you have passed through the red light. You know that later in the day or after the task is completed, what is needed to support your body and your system, to get back into the yellow or green light zone. You are aware and are able to make that choice because you are listening to your body. You will sometimes miss the red lights and that is okay as you now have the knowledge and awareness of what your body is trying to say.

So go, “do all the things” make the season magical in whatever way your family chooses to and I hope you feel different this year come the 26th of December. I hope you find some ease and peace and a new way of doing the holiday season. Understand that it does take some practice and time, just like preparing for the holiday!

Happy Holidays!

About Bobbi:

It's been quite a journey! Graduating from Simon Fraser University in 1994, I've dedicated my career to helping clients with their rehabilitation, particularly those recovering from motor vehicle accidents.

At Christmas time in 2018, my family experienced a roll-over accident, down a mountain in our brand new minivan. My entire family was in the vehicle, and thankfully I was the only one who was injured. The resulting concussion caused memory fog, insomnia, fatigue, anxiety, nausea, and headaches.

Navigating the Western medical approach didn't provide the relief I sought. Despite being advised to rest, I persisted in working and caring for my family. After almost a year of frustration, a yoga therapist/kinesiologist introduced me to a different path. Through slow movements, body reconnection, and doing less, I surprisingly began to improve. This contrasted with what I'd been taught in Western medicine.

Curiosity led me to dive into yoga therapy training, and the changes were astounding. Symptoms lessened, energy increased, anxiety vanished. Inspired by my own transformation, I became a yoga therapist with a mission to help those who struggle and might be labeled with "chronic pain." I'm eager to guide others toward the change they deserve.