Stop and FEEL the Pain

From Warren:

Now that the holidays are behind us, I find it helpful to make time to slow down long enough to tune into what sort of damage I just caused my body by operating on autopilot with no reserve fuel for far too long. Unfortunately this is a bad habit of mine that has never successfully made the New Years Resolution list. I run on empty with no time to refuel body, mind or spirit…after all, I am invincible…or so I thought. Day in and day out I have been ignoring a pain in my back because I just don’t have time for pain. This is a flawed approach to taking care of one’s self. Pain is a way for the body to tell you that things are out of balance and that, perhaps you are doing too much. The other day my back pain transcended its ignorable status by grabbing my attention with electrical sensations in my toes, thus ushering in a new ailment: sciatica. It’s hard to avoid the car analogies when talking about the body…and I currently feel like the guy who ignored the first signs of needing new brakes. What could have been prevented with some general maintenance is now going to be a costly fix. Luckily I’m surrounded by talented practitioners of the healing arts and they will take time to help me overhaul the wreck that my body has become. This year, in an attempt to practice what I preach, I will make a concerted effort to not just stop and smell the roses, but to also stop and feel the pain. Being present to one’s body long enough to hear what it’s trying to tell you can save you a lot trouble in the end and help you keep out of the body shop and on the road of life.