Today I woke up to a cold. Actually to be more precise I woke up, in the middle of the night, two hours after going to sleep. As if an alarm had gone off with a clear message for me to receive. In that one moment I went from feeling ‘okay’ to a sore throat and weary body.

I sleep in, knowing my body was telling me something and still, possibly naively, thinking I could ‘trick it’ into sleeping the feelings off. Wa-la. Just like that. A 4-hour cold. No such luck ?

When I get sick these days I can usually see or feel it coming. There are tell-tale signs I’ve become more aware of over the years. Usually it’s when I’ve been pushing too much, not moving, not listening to my body’s subtle reminders and check-ins.

How often do you tune in to what your body is telling you?

That slight headache, fatigue at the end of a big day at work, or lack of ‘spring’ during your gym class? How often do you pay attention to these signs and ask what they’re really about?

For me, it’s been a gradual ‘getting to know you’ session. A process of letting go more (less pushing) and when I listen in to the messages, actually, you know, doing something different. I’ve learnt that sleep, movement and respecting how energised I feel are so important to my personal natural ‘balance’ or equilibrium. (And healthy eating, although that kinda is a given as I tend to love heaps of veges in my diet anyway, so figure my natural state is fairly healthy food).

What is it for you? The three key things you know you simply must have or do in your life to feel in balance?

This is what wellness really encapsulates for me. It’s the fine tuning and process of consistently listening in and feeling, intently, to your body, your thoughts, and that inner self (aka your soul).

I’m asking my body questions today like, what is it you most need right now? And I’ll be giving it what it needs. If I’ve learnt anything from my journey of persistent cycles of burn out I also know that patience will be needed… (I’m a natural doer) and allowing more flow… (my tendency is to push)… and that these things are actually the fastest pathway back to my inner strength.

How well do you feel you know yourself? Or more specifically, your body’s signals?

Do you know someone in your life who tends to be a natural ‘doer’ and could actually ‘do’ with some slowing down right now? This post could be just the thing they need to hear to start tuning in to what their body is telling them. Share it with them to spread the love ?