Last week I started to get a migraine. I get them occasionally but they rarely last more than a day. This one continued for three days before finally letting go. Once the migraine released I realized why it had lasted so long. I had a sinus infection and my migraine had turned into a full blown cold. I hadn’t had a cold in a long time and I wasn’t a good patient. I’d do just about anything to get over a cold quickly. Unfortunately this one wasn’t going away easily. I was throwing everything at it too – herbs, vitamin C, acupuncture, soup – nothing was working.
It finally dawned on me what I needed to do. Rest.
We have a hard time slowing down and allowing ourselves the healing power of resting. We feel there’s so much to do and we have to push through. I’m sure many people, in the United States specifically, are thinking, “I’ll rest next week during the Thanksgiving holiday”. What about what you need today? What about what your body needs to heal today? Putting off self-care is never a good idea and ultimately might prolong or worsen an illness.
It’s also a reminder to stay present. Instead of looking to the future for everything to be better, what can you do today to take care of yourself. Is rest what you most need today? Exercise or a healthy meal? Take a moment. Be present in your body and ask yourself what you most need today. And then give yourself that gift of self-care.
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