Ever have those days where its so busy, you're so mentally drained because of too much going on, and you're in bed by 8pm? We're all entitled to one of those days where we crawl right into our comfy bed amidst our stuffed animals. (or kids toys) :) Yesterday, was one of those days for me.
For the past month, I've been learning to listen to my body. This is very challenging for me, because, as mentioned in a previous post, on most days, I am like the Energizer Bunny on repeat. Part of that is my job as a teacher and part of it is my work ethic and the way I was raised. I was raised to put in 100% into all that I do. I admit, I do take on a lot all at once, but I've become a bit better at recognizing that, taking a step back, and thinking about diving in before just jumping in the pool. One of the things that is hard for me to do is to be "okay" with saying "no" to opportunities sometimes. (It was Jesus who said "let your yes's be yes's and your no's be no's.)
When I take on too much, my body gets run down (as anyone who does). For example, in the summer, I usually work out like 5-6 days a week (and sometimes take double classes during the day) and I can build up that endurance. I've observed early on this year that, because of my work schedule and after school commitments, I can't do that, so my endurance is built up in other ways. So, I choose a couple of days that I know I can work out without question, and 1 or 2 days during the week that I know I can be "flexible" with in terms of my exercise classes. (On a somewhat related side note: I absolutely LOVE Zumba - and Strong by Zumba - SBZ and those two have brought me such joy!) The other days, I rest, or volunteer with CCD at my church, sing in the choir, or attend once a month PD's to be up-to-date with current research on teaching. Listening to my body is a huge step for me and I've been able to reap its benefits of enjoying my time participating in things, while being able to introduce new hobbies and/or practice them more often.
One of those hobbies that I have picked up and enjoy tremendously, is painting. I often go to the Muse Paintbar paint. The art instructors there have an incredible background in art. Many of them are artists in different mediums themselves. I always learn something new every time I watch and observe a different instructor. I also paint at home, have my own easel and acrylic paints. To me, there is something so profound about creating with your hands. For example, I'll see or picture something in my head that I want to paint, and take a mental "picture" of it (something that I tell my ELL students to do a lot when we are learning about a new topic) and try to paint it. My grandfather used to paint (among a dose of other careers/accomplishments) and loved the ocean (was in the Navy and Merchant Marines), so perhaps this is where I feel the most connected to him, like his spirit is still inside me and he still lives on when I engage in these tasks, such as painting or taking a walk down by the water in Narragansett.
As I get older, I realize that I need to do at least one thing for myself everyday. For me, that could be painting or working out, painting (again!) my nails or even reading. It could be making breakfast (pancakes!) for dinner or baking. It could be getting myself a coffee or just sitting in a coffee shop relaxing. I feel that in society, there is so much talk and focus on maintaining one's peak physical and mental health, that we forget about the wellness of our whole body. Even going so far as to say that the world we live in for the 21st century is one that is fast-paced and always "moving." Our culture demands that we are always attentive, ready to go, and "on-our-game." Yet, we forget in the midst of all of this that we can't help others well unless we take care of ourselves. And with that, comes the very important (yet overlooked) task of listening to our bodies.
Honestly, some of the best advice that I receive when I need to "pause" comes from 3 places: my parents, my hairdresser, and my neighbors. In order to make our world a better place (without sounding so cliché), we need to get to know our neighbors, however that may look for you. The place where I grew up wasn't a place where neighbors visited or talked to each other. Now, in the town where I live, I frequently visit and/or talk to my neighbors. Thankfully, we all help each other out in ways such as shoveling snow, bringing soup to an ill neighbor, leaving notes in mailboxes and checking on each other. One other place that wisdom has come from is with my very close co-workers. I'm thankful to be at a point in my life where co-workers have become lifelong friends. We all need support in our lives and I'm truly blessed that I've taken the time to get to know my neighbors, for they (parents, next door neighbors and hairdresser, to name a few) are the ones who are full of life-giving wisdom.
So, as you can see, this post shows that "it's not all about the men!" Haha. But, I bet that you're wondering, "all right, gluten-free gal. You got me hooked to read your entire post, and you usually tie "relationships or romance or men" in to it, so. . . where is it?" Well today, it's hidden.
I believe that in every relationship (especially as a woman), it is extremely vital to make sure that the three things of listening to your body, getting to know your neighbors, and doing 1 thing a day for yourself, carry on regardless of the person you find yourself spending the most of your time with. Though I'm not in a relationship yet, I do have a handful of close friends who share this advice or who lacks one of these areas. And, though I have yet to experience the feelings of romance or to be romanced, I do know that I want a solid foundation of these three things so that way when a guy comes along or I come along to a guy, I have my support system of hobbies, neighbors, and all around wellness.
It's been said that "beauty is only skin deep," but to me, a person can appear physically "beautiful" but not have these three things under their belt and be hurting inside. I don't want outer beauty to ever be the main thing that students seek to strive for. Rather, I want them to realize that their beauty comes from within, from their identity, their character, the very core of their being and who they are. Those things, to me, are what truly makes a person beautiful. Yes, that is difficult to teach, but by God, I will do my best every day to show them and teach them about who they are, to be that guide that points out their beauty in their talents, in the way that they care for friends, in the way that they are persistent with challenging math problems. For that, is true beauty. And hopefully someday, that will attract the right for me and I for him.
cheers.
