I should have known
Remember that "put upon" feeling I was having last week?
Well, despite having this body and mind for over fifty years, I forgot that when I feel antsy and overwhelmed there is a good chance that I am fighting off an illness.
And it is not just me. I have lost track of the number of times I have become frustrated with my boys because they were acting frustrated or defiant only for them to come down with an illness within 48 hours.
My nervous system and emotions were giving me advanced notice of a stonking cold. I should have known.
Something to think about
Our minds and bodies are in constant communication, and often, emotional reactions are symptoms of physical issues and vice versa. Recent research demonstrates that the histamine our bodies release to fight infection can overstimulate the nervous system and cause anxiety in people who are more intolerant to histamine.
In reverse, our bodies often tell us something about our mental health. Muscle tension is often a sign of stress, and butterflies in the stomach are often a sign of nervousness. Sometimes, we are aware of these embodied emotions, but often, they are unconscious, and our body is trying to signal to us that our emotions need attention.
Something to answer
Are you aware of the signals your body and mind send to you about each other? I invite you to think and/or journal about these questions:
What physical symptom have you experienced that is tied to an embodied emotion, and/or what emotion have you experienced that is a signal of a physical issue?
How was your experience different after you became aware of this connection?
What did you do to realign your body and mind?
Something to do
Take this week to notice how your body and mind communicate with each other about what you need to pay attention to.
What does your body tell you about your emotional state before you are even aware of experiencing the emotion?
What emotions do you experience that are telling you about something physical you need to pay attention to?
As always, I invite you to reply to this email with your insights and observations. Let me know if I can include them in next week's newsletter and if you’d prefer to remain anonymous.
If you know someone who would love this newsletter, which offers insights and tools for self-awareness, change, and living your best life (and some hope, too), please share it with them.
Much love,
Hope
P.S. I am thinking about sending out daily notes—just one or two sentences of hope every day—and I would love your input.
I will let you know whether I will launch this soon.