listen down

  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?