Energy Leaks, Listening to Your Body, & Finding a Mode of Exercise That’s Right for You
Ok, so truth be told, I’ve been struggling the past few weeks with a bunch of physical symptoms. What started out at the beginning of September as a 48 hour virus that kept be locked in bed and sweating with a fever, has now lingered on into chronic fatigue, chronic sore throat, severe headaches, bloating, sleeping 12 hours a night or not sleeping at all, and an overall frustration with my body. I realized I needed to take a step back and look at my life from an observers perspective. I believe most physical symptoms stem from an energetic imbalance in the body… When there are blocks, the immune system is compromised and disease presents itself.
So how have I been dealing with this? Honestly, I’ve just been pushing, and as a result have seen other areas of my life lack luster. For example, I push through my runs (as I’m supposed to be training for a marathon) and my performance is on the decline, I over caffeinate to make it through the day, I cancel on weekend plans because I’d rather be sleeping, and my dog is not happy with the decrease in walks we go on either.
As I take on a more holistic perspective of myself and my lifestyle I can see there have been a lot of energetic leaks that are at the root for my exhaustion. For one, training for a marathon is not a necessity for me. When I signed up for the race this past summer, I was so pumped and full of vigor. I thought training would fill me with inspiration and would give me a challenge to work for. I remembered how I felt the last time I trained for 26.2 and the feelings of accomplishment & pride that came along with it. This time it’s different. If I’m being real, I don't think I’m running this race for me. I think I’m running this race to prove my worthiness to others, woah, ok that’s vulnerable to express in black and white… but that’s my truth. I realize that using external modes of gratification to fill your sense of worth will only leave you drained and empty in the end. I don’t want to compromise my health any more in order to feel some sort of value from other people. I know I have value, even if I’m a couch potato.
This leads me into discussing exercise as a eustress not a distress. Burnout is a real thing, even for a weekend warrior. If you are on a team or you are a professional athlete, there’s less wiggle room in approaching your exercise regimen, but if not, you should take a look at your routine and make sure it’s fostering a state of balance in your body.
Moving your body, we know, is essential for health & vitality, but the amount, type, and intensity changes depending on where your at in life. For example, there have been times in my life where I’ve felt like a little fire ball and running was the only way to cool me down. If I didn’t run, I was an anxious mess and felt like I couldn’t relax. Now, I feel like the last thing I want to do is run. If I truly listen to my body, it’s craving a lot of yoga, nature walks, and surfing. Exercise, although a physical stress on the body, should make you feel full of energy, not totally exhausted and depleted.
In truth, my ego doesn't want to let go of this race, and in the past there’s no way I would. But now, I can see that the cost is higher than the gain, and I really really want my energy back. I’m going to have to be ok with letting this go, giving up my tendencies to resist a change of plans, and knowing that my self worth is not dependent on crossing a finish line. I feel like this can be applied to so many areas of life. I hope this triggered some thought for you in becoming aware any energetic leaks disrupting your homeostasis. Be ok with whatever season of life you are in. If your feeling like an energizer bunny or a turtle, just honor it and give your body what it’s asking for.