Signs of spring are here! Sunshine and longer days make some of us think about getting out in the garden. Soon it will be time to take off those winter tires! Some of us will create more closet space by packing away our heavy winter clothes as we get out our lighter and brighter spring/summer wear. Some of us take this time to do “spring cleaning“. This is when a more “thorough” cleaning of the home is performed. The windows get washed or the floors get scrubbed. Perhaps it’s time to vacuum out the car. It can be an excellent time to do some decluttering, getting rid of “that which is no longer bringing you joy” to quote Marie Kondo.
This can be done in our lives too. Deciding if a habit or activity is serving us well and bringing us joy is an important process. If we don’t do any self evaluation, we can get stuck in habits that may be sucking up our energy. For instance, there is nothing wrong with social media, but there are people who lose chunks of their day scrolling through their “feeds” when they just picked up their phone to quickly answer a text. (okay, that’s me. I’ve lost chunks of my day and I know I need to be careful!)
In order to evaluate whether a habit is serving you well, it requires reflection- just like you have to think about whether you want to keep that large dying plant that keeps dropping its leaves all over the floor… you have to think about your actions and your thoughts.
A patient came in last week and described feeling a significant stress around work and finances. This was preventing him from enjoying his down time, even though he recognized that he already has employment contracts lined up for the next 6 months. We can have underlying feelings of disquiet that we don’t recognize or acknowledge, but they are still impacting our level of peace. When we identify these feelings, we can reflect on whether they are helpful or even true. In this gentlemen’s case he recognized that he had already done the work to set up his term and he could stop fretting (his words), let those feelings go and enjoy his time off.
Journaling can be an effective way to identify what we are feeling, reflect on it and process the emotion. If you would like some suggestions on journaling, you can read our article “Journal your way into a New Year”- access it from the link below.
Another member of my practice arrived last week, saying he had been in “fight or flight” mode since a busy day in his office earlier that week. He recognized that the stress of new situations in his work led him to absorbing that stress and his body locking up as a result. Why does one person feel the impact of stress (and experience symptoms like digestive upset, muscle pains, headaches, and more!) while another person under the same stress may feel nothing?
It is a result of two things. If we are already carrying patterns of stress, we will be more impacted by new stress in our lives. This is like a person with a weakened immune system getting sick more easily. The stress capacity will be lower. The second reason is that some people have habits that lead to dissipating the stress they experience on a day-to-day basis so that it does not build up. Doing regular SRI breathing, Yoga, journaling, meditation, etc. can help stop stress from accumulating.
Speaking with this young man about his reaction to stress, I reminded him that he is in a new work environment and that a certain amount of stress is completely normal. He did the right thing, getting in for care. Network Spinal Chiropractic is helpful in breaking the stress cycle from “fight or flight” to “rest and restore”. Regular ongoing care helps work through the chronic patterns of stress so that the nervous system is more resilient in new situations.
It is also important to evaluate our daily habits and how they help us at reacting to stress. Maybe some regular yoga or SRI are needed? Walks in Nature? You might require some structured planning times or changing how you schedule your day. In an article “A New Year, A New You” (see link below) I describe the Triad of Change, and how one can utilize their own particular strengths to maximize their ability to make changes in their lives.
As we consider “spring cleaning” in our lives, remember the famous definition by Albert Einstein. “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.” While you are taking time to spring clean your home in April, I would encourage you to do the mental work of spring cleaning your life! If getting “more active” is on your list- consider joining us for our Spring MOVEment Challenge (contact the office for details). Think about habits you might like to add or subtract. Our goal is not perfection, but to be the best possible version of ourselves!