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How does your stress show up physically?

Our physical body is witness to everything that we experience in life and will often show us what we are mentally trying to ignore. Poor digestion, inflammatory conditions, colds and aches and pains can all be signs of stress. We seem to have accepted these conditions as part of life without questioning why they are there. We all react differently to stress and part of managing it is in recognizing our own personal signs and symptoms. Our bodies do an amazing job of carrying us through life so it’s time we started listening to and looking after them.

The body has a way of getting our attention when our mind is ignoring the messages life is trying to give us. I have experienced this a few times myself. The first time I broke my collarbone at a competition was one of those occasions. I knew I had broken it the moment I stood up from the fall. Although I felt no pain whatsoever, I could feel the bone moving. The power of adrenaline is quite incredible as I felt no pain for a day or two; until it finally hit. I was initially frustrated that I couldn’t compete for a few weeks, but then something surfaced that I hadn’t realized was there. I felt totally relieved that I had a genuine reason to rest. That I could give myself permission to back off. I didn’t know I felt such pressure until that moment, but clearly I did. That fall gave me a wake-up call. It made me reflect on why I needed something as extreme as breaking a bone to give myself permission to rest. If you can relate to that then please don’t wait until your body literally forces you to stop. You will achieve far more in life if you look after yourself.

Another occasion that my body was trying to tell me something was when I was teaching yoga. I was a freelance teacher in various organizations, one of which was a yoga centre. It became apparent to me that this particular centre’s owners and I did not have the same values. I started to feel uncomfortable teaching there, and though I tried to resolve matters with the owners, it became apparent that things wouldn’t change. As I became increasingly frustrated, my body took over the situation. On days that I was due to teach at the centre, I would get up in the morning and have completely lost my voice. Like, no voice at all; not even a squeak. The next day, when due to teach somewhere else, I would get up and my voice would have returned. This pattern continued until I acknowledged it and quit teaching at the centre. Dis-ease in our mind, thoughts or emotions shows in our body and will often miraculously heal the minute we address the cause of disharmony.

Are you aware of times when your body is trying to tell you something? What needs addressing?

Soothing the symptoms

Aches, pains and illness are a call for love and care. If your back is aching, it is asking for a massage, some yoga, attention to your posture, to notice what burden you feel in life or maybe to seek expert advice. If you keep getting headaches, they are asking you to notice what mental strain you are under, perhaps your neck and shoulders need attention, or you need to drink more water or get your eyes checked. Maybe you need to see the GP. If you keep getting a bloated stomach, it’s a call to check what you are eating and to reflect on what it is in life that you are struggling to digest. If you get out of breath going upstairs, the body is asking you to get fitter, to notice what’s suffocating you in life, and to breathe some fresh air into your lungs and some energy and zing into your daily life.

Every symptom in the body is a call to love and care. Every. Single. One.

# The hack

Listen to your body. What is it trying to tell you when it is aching, hurting or not feeling well? What does it need? What do you need? Every action you take to look after your body is worth it… however small. Every action you take to address the physical symptoms of stress is worth it… however small.