From Functional to Flourishing: the first step is just to listen...

I have so many things I want to talk about for this series "From Functional to Flourishing",  and they are all bouncing around in my head- my notebook is getting quite full of ideas, but I think before we delve into the things we need to do to "get well", first we have to acknowledge where we are right now. REALLY where we are. Not "I'm fine" or "everything's okay". We need to listen to ourselves. Okay, I know that sounds cheesy, but it doesn't make it untrue. Maybe you get headaches. When? Is there a time of day it happens? Why? Is there a food, or an emotion, or something that is triggering the headaches that you aren't noticing? Maybe your skin breaks out. Where on your face does it break out? Forehead? Chin? Does it happen after you eat something in particular? Is it during a specific time in the month? Maybe your neck hurts. When does it hurt? does it hurt after physical activity, or does it hurt when you are emotionally stressed? We have all had stuff in our lives, where we know what the physical issue is, but we don't really understand why it is happening. I had crazy migraines, and it took me years to figure out that gluten triggered them. My neck and shoulders were always sore and painful, and it took me years (and the help of a great therapist) to understand that it wasn't just because of certain physical movements, it was because of specific emotional stressors. You are probably thinking right now "okay Steph, listen to your body, blah blah blah we get it". But if you feel unwell, tired, crappy, you may know some of the reasons why, but I would be willing to bet you don't know all of the reasons. So here is the first step- Listen. Really listen. Have a cup of coffee, and afterward pay close attention to how you feel. Does your throat feel dry? Does your stomach feel a little acidic? Does it make you feel jittery? This step is not about eliminating anything, it is about really taking a look at ourselves to see how things are really affecting us- even so called "little things".  Do you eat rice and feel bloated and gassy? Do you eat cheese and have a stuffy nose? Do you speak to a specific person and then have a headache come on? It is easy enough to say "I get headaches". Sometimes it is not as easy to acknowledge "I get headaches after I eat ____". You may just not notice what the triggers are, and now is the time to figure it out. Once you can put the " _____ causes _____ " puzzle together, taking the steps to get well is so much easier.

So, take a week. Don't change your life at all, don't change your diet or your routine, just listen. Write it down. Write down everything so you remember! Everything you put in your mouth, the things you do in the day (good or bad), write it down and then observe how you feel and write that down too. Went for a hike? Feel great? Write it down. Had a pizza? feel bloated? have a zit or two pop up the next day? write it down! Take a week and chronicle your life (come on, it's one week, you can do it) -you would be surprised at all the things you eat and do that you don't even think about. At the end of the week, take a look at what you observed- When you eat tomatoes, you get heartburn later on. When you eat a cold beverage or smoothie, your throat gets sore. When you eat dairy, your eyes are goopy the next morning (my acupuncturist calls this "ice cream eyes!"). I would be willing to bet you don't pay this close of attention to your body, and trust me you need to. These are all subtle signs that things are slightly amiss. Now, heartburn here or there may not be a big deal to you now, but these are signs that the body is unhappy with something, and not amending it can lead to long term affects that are more serious.

The path to feeling well begins with listening. Listen to your heart and your gut (literally and figuratively), and all the other organs that are trying to tell you something. Understanding our triggers is the first step to understanding what it takes to be well, and to know your triggers you must first take the time to really listen to your body- listen to all the little things it tells you that you'd rather just ignore. You'll find after a little bit that your body tells you loud and clear what it does want and does not want, and by listening you honor the place inside you that strives to be well, to feel better, to vibrate on a higher plane.

Please give the week of listening and documenting a try, and please let me know in the comments or on Facebook if you do this and what you find- I would love to hear from you! Be well.