listen down
June 20, 2008 
It is done! We officially closed on the sale of our house yesterday at 3pm. It went really smoothly. (I knocked on wood every chance I got the day preceding!) Everyone, lawyer included, was telling jokes and having a good time. A good time at a house closing?! Yeah, that’s what I thought… :) After the closing ceremonies we went out for dinner with the realtors and the new buyer, which I guess is a bizarre situation… but it felt good. Felt good to get to know who was going to love this house next. Hear about how excited he and his family were. Swap stories. I think we could have been friends. I wonder why more transactions aren’t more personal like that… Could be a new wave of business.
We came home after the dinner (we are staying in this house one more week, moving out next weekend) and just sat down and marveled at it all being done. And immediately after the marveling, I wanted to go run some errands. Go the bookstore to pick up something new to read, go get a new bathing suit (I’m meeting a friend next week at the beach and my swim suit is shot)… My mind wanted to go do all these things. But my body was saying … screaming… NO! Relax. I’m tired. Do it later!
And I actually listened.
This is unusual because I normally do whatever my mind wants. Working 14 hours straight? — Sure. Running errands right after that? — Ok, I guess. Going out when I am tired? — Right on. I run my body till it nearly collapses and it never really talks back. But that is changing… Last night when I wanted to run my errands and I knew I was tired, I decided not to drive myself so hard. I chose to just sit and celebrate and reflect on the closing of this time, and not move on to the next thing right away.
So instead of running out the door, I lay down on the couch. Read for a bit. And then found myself waking up about 2 hours later. I was just exhausted from all the stress.
I don’t know why I don’t listen to my body more. This is the only one I’m gonna get, as far as I know, and yet I seem to take it for granted. I think this should change. I want to do better about looking inside to see what the body needs — rest, something wholesome to eat, a tall glass of water, some yoga stretches — and reach an agreement with what the head wants… this seems like such a better way to live. Whole.
So here’s my plan:
- Check in with my body whenever I feel a small pain or cramp… is it trying to tell me something? Do I need to stop and stretch for a while before starting on the next thing?
- Get up every hour and walk around, focus my peepers on things other than the screen or the painting I’m doing.
- Re-commit to a daily (or almost daily) yoga practice. (I’m bad at doing it every day. I just can’t seem to fit it in…)
- Remember to keep drinking water.
-Every now and then pause and try to feel my heartbeat… can I feel it in my hands? in my toes? in my knees?
- Breathe. Feel it on my upper lip. Going through my nose. Down my pipes…
I’m grateful that I’m healthy, and I want to stay that way. :)
Today my body needs a nap, tea with a friend, a hug, a walk around the neighborhood, and a good cat stretch…
I’m curious… Do you listen to your body? Or is it too quiet compared to your head?
June 20th, 2008 at 6:04 am
[...] penelope Share [...]
June 20th, 2008 at 6:42 am
Yes. Remembering to b-r-e-a-t-h-e is so important. Nice post and congrats on a successful real estate transaction. Woo hoo!
June 20th, 2008 at 6:58 am
i hear a yogi speaking!
June 20th, 2008 at 7:06 am
Congratulations on the house sale! That is such a wonderful extra bonus that the buyer is a nice person.
You are so right! I hadn’t thought of about it before. Especially when you are a ‘can do’ type person you end up running yourself ragged fitting in everything you think you want to do.
June 20th, 2008 at 7:56 am
I listen a lot closer to my body now ;-).
June 20th, 2008 at 8:13 am
congratulations! that is great news.
i can so relate to running yourself into the ground. in fact, i just posted a love letter to my brain because i am wearing it down so badly with no concern for its well-being these days. i think i’m about to permanently shut down. not good.
June 20th, 2008 at 11:17 am
Unfortunately, I don’t take very good care of my body. I rarely exercise and I have poor eating habits. But, curiously, I am very in tune with my body. I “listen” to every ache, twitch, sensation. I can always tell when it needs something, although figuring out exactly what it needs is another story. One thing I’ve gotten better at is listening when my body just needs to rest. I’m one of those GO GO GO people, when really I need to SLOW SLOW SLOW down a bit. So now I try not to feel guilty about afternoon naps or leisurely reading a book or magazine for a couple of hours. It’s done wonders for my body and mind.
June 20th, 2008 at 3:31 pm
Most of the time I think I listen to my body, but the challenge is to honor it, isn’t it? We’re too used to putting other priorities first. Pushing the body until it gives up on some end. The body is always that little inconvenience: gotta eat right, gotta stay fit, gotta rest well, gotta drink the water… Besides, it’s hard to fully love it. We’re so mean to our bodies, aren’t we? I’ll try to be better and you rest up, girl. The deal is done. Congrats ~
June 21st, 2008 at 2:34 am
Congrats on the house sale!
I think I do listen to my body when it comes to pain but resting is something a lot of people regard as being lazy and that’s how I was raised, unfortunately… So when I rest I feel guilty. How bad is that!!?? I try to fit in at least one little Yoga pose a day after work or at the gym, I think the exercise keeps me sane and it’s what I look forward to after sitting at the desk all day.
Good Luck with your move, I’m sure it’ll all go smoothly, too!
June 22nd, 2008 at 5:26 pm
(yay! house sale :-)
Until a few years ago my body just seemed like part of me, I made no distinction between the physical me and all the other bits. It was all meshed together into my concept of who I am. But now I have a different view of my body. I think of it as “where I live” rather than “who I am” and that idea makes me want to take really good care of it. Like I would a car or a house if I knew it was the only one I got. No trade up program, no option to sell this one and buy another. It’s a good feeling, empowering even, to feel like the caretaker of this complicated vehicle that can do some pretty cool stuff (like shoulder stands and downward dog :-) I know there are no guarantees, but I do believe that eating healthily and practicing yoga will give it a fighting chance when something inevitably goes wrong :-)
June 22nd, 2008 at 8:48 pm
I am not really attentive to my body and then find myself totally exhausted and dehydrated…like right now. So I shall stop staring at this screen after this comment and grab a big glass of water. Thanks for the reminding and congratulations on the closing, too.
June 23rd, 2008 at 12:04 pm
That was a very unusual house closing- I hope the new owners love your home for you! The “to do” list is great- posting it on my refrigerator, so I actually see it when I move around each hour and get my glass of water! Staying healthy is the most important thing!
June 26th, 2008 at 5:02 pm
congrats on the house!
June 26th, 2008 at 6:22 pm
I try very hard to listen to my body and rest when it wants to rest. I get a lot of headaches, but I’ve started going to the chiropractor for neck adjustments (I carry all my stress in my shoulders and upper back) and stopped drinking caffeinated beverages. It’s easy to get caught up in work and life and ignore the little signs from our body. Trying to listen better is a big step toward being healthier.
June 26th, 2008 at 10:57 pm
Oh my goodness my noisy head. I have to be very bossy with it to make it shut up so I can listen to my body. But I do, because I know my body needs it and it always feel good when I can get my head to be quiet and listen to my body. And in those moments my head sighs and says “oh yeah-I am part of this body, too. I am the head.”
And yes, I want to do more yoga, too. I was actually thinking that today. (A thought I often have when I realize it has ben days since I last did yoga) Oh if only I could motivate to take time for yoga every day. Why is that such a hard one?
July 1st, 2008 at 8:29 am
I learned the hard way that I must listen to my body. After beating cancer twice I had this notion that I was invincible, but I’m not. No one is. Listen. Relax. Enjoy your business, but not at the risk of one’s health. A series of recent heart tests reminded me to take a new path, one less pressured. It’s not easy to change one’s habits, but oh so necessary.
Blessings on your move! I hadn’t caught with your blog in quite a while. Happy for you!
July 2nd, 2008 at 8:00 am
Congratulations on the house sale!
I can really relate to going and going and going and going until I just can’t any more. I think rest is so important, like you say… relaxation pose in yoga, creative regeneration time, time to assimilate all the stimulus you’re taking in, time for the body to rest and heal. It’s easy to say and hard to do; you almost have to schedule it.
Been a while since I’ve checked in… I love your recent work, and congrats on your continued success!