When is it time to slow (way) down in your healing?
I don’t have to tell you that the pace of modern life has skyrocketed. As the amount of stimulus our Nervous Systems respond to is at an all-time high, our nervous systems themselves have seldom made much change since the caveman days.
Likewise, sometimes it feels like the wellness world can be just as fast-paced with a new biotech product, nootropic, or dietary modification offered for every ill. For real – some of these morning routines look like they’d take about 6 hours and leave one feeling more dysregulated due to the sheer volume of work involved.
So when is it time to push hard and build resilience in the face of an external reality with increasing complexity? And when is it time to slow down instead?
In many ways our job is two-fold in these times: learning to enhance our neurological capacity to hold more while simultaneously giving ourselves permission to move slowly with an abundance of grace and gentleness. These two tasks can at times seem to be at odds with each other!
The simple answer to this conundrum is to listen to our wise, ancient bodies! As we move from Spring into Summer, we may experience increased energy levels and productivity, but there’s more complexity than that. We may experience an outer season of Summer and an inner season of Fall/Winter. You’ll even have upswings and downswings throughout the 24 hour day layered on top of the broader season that you’re in (among many other rhythms you’re riding). The best solution, then, is to listen!
If, at first, you have trouble listening, consider trying a playful and curious exploration of different activities to determine what practices will be most supportive for you. Find your goldilocks perfect fit!
Here are some ideas of practices to try:
Summer/more intensity: go for a run; HIIT; breath of fire (if you know it)
Fall/downswing: lengthen your exhale and use breath holds; pilates+yoga
Winter/less intensity: long, slow deep breathing; journaling; walking
Spring/upswing: moderate physical activity; trying something new+fresh
It is also my great honor and passion to work with individuals and families in all seasons of life as a Chiropractor. This subtle, energetic form of chiropractic works on all levels mind-body-spirit to facilitate the natural unfoldment of your next-level evolution. It’s pretty incredible to witness!