Are you ‘too busy’ for self-care?
Do you have a million different thoughts going through your mind at once?
We live in a very busy culture, pulled in every direction. It’s easy to make lists and plan our days down to the minute with things to do and accomplish. Now think about lying on your back for 20 minutes in complete silence in the middle of the day. Not curled up in bed to take a nap, but just to be still. Does that feel overwhelming or impossible? To most people, it would. We are so ingrained to do more, be more, and achieve more than most of us forget arguably the most important part of our health – our emotional and mental state.
Our bodies are not only physical but also include our mind and spirit! Which means these two components cannot be ignored. Did you know that your thoughts actually affect your body’s physical chemistry? Feelings of stress create a different response than feelings of joy or peace at the cellular level. This means that if we are in a state of constant stress our bodies will have a hard time putting the proper energy into things like digesting food, properly releasing and regulating hormones, establishing a normal sleep cycle, etc. because it needs to process the stress first to keep going. Just because we address our physical bodies and mental states in different ways does not mean they are separate from each other, it all works together.
Stress is felt and dysfunction occurs from three major categories: thoughts, traumas, and toxins. Our emotional and mental health (or “thoughts”) is the basis for all other components. Have you ever heard the phrase “mind over matter”? The concept is that we can overcome anything we want to with the proper mindset because our minds are that powerful and have a direct effect on our physical beings! Have you ever tried to start a healthy diet or begin a new workout plan without the proper mindset? It is nearly impossible and is usually short-lived. Without addressing the mental component first we are putting a ceiling on our ability to grow, heal and thrive.
Craniosacral therapy is a great way to help the body reach a state of relaxation and ease that is optimal for healing. Craniosacral therapy is a low force technique that removes “bogginess” from our nervous system so that it functions as it should. When our nervous system structures (cerebrospinal fluid, membranes, brain, etc.) are functioning with a higher capacity to adapt to stressors we: process things better, make better decisions, have more space to thrive instead of barely surviving, have healthier relationships, sleep better, experience less depression and anxiety. The list goes on and on!
Some other great ways to detox the mind/spirit are:
-Getting outside in nature
-Grounding (once the Minnesota cold officially leaves)
-Meditation – Headspace app is a great resource for guided meditation
-Journaling
-For me personally, praying and reading my Bible
-Counseling
The goal is not to remove every item from your schedule – there will always be things that need to be completed and life isn’t going to just slow down. Instead, we detox our minds to increase our capacity to thrive under life’s demands and increase our ability to adapt to each moment so we are not constantly overwhelmed.
Take a second to evaluate your priorities – are they to achieve the badge of honor for being the busiest (which we mistake as productive or successful) or is it to be the best possible version of yourself? Most would say the latter, but operate as if the first is true. Detoxing our bodies and decompressing our minds is of utmost importance and can make a world of difference!
-Dr. Sophie Mills
To learn more about Cranio Sacral Therapy click here.