Resting

Recently I have been dealing with shoulder pain and stiffness. This is not the first time I have dealt with this but over the last year it has been, unfortunately, a more frequent occurrence. For me, it is triggered by stress and lately, I have had plenty of stress. As it is pretty widely understood now, the body holds onto stress and my current shoulder pain is a strong sign for me of just that fact.

While uncomfortable, I am also using it as a reminder. I love doing this - turning anything really into a practice. The biggest reminder for me this time is the importance of resting. I speak often about slowing down, about stretching, about taking care of our bodies and about being kind to ourselves, yet, so often I find that to be challenging to do myself (despite knowing the importance). Therefore, it is for me, as it is for many people, a constant practice.

With my current shoulder stiffness, I am trying to allow myself to rest because I know that, for me, with rest (and stretching) the shoulder stiffness will soften. I am trying to release tension as I exhale and soften my shoulders away from my ears. I am changing how I exercise so that the movement that I do does not make the stiffness worse. This means that I have skipped times I might have previously worked out and replaced the workout with a walk. I am foam rolling and slowly stretching my body but even as I do those movements I am doing them more slowly. I am taking care of my body and allowing it to rest and recover and settle. 

Some of the causes of my current stress I cannot do much about but I am trying to learn to not resist that because I have found that when I resist, I can feel the actual tension this causes in my body. Instead, I am listening to what my body and mind need and giving myself mental rest as well. I am watching a relatively mindless movie in bed with popcorn or I am turning my phone off and putting it to the side to give myself that mental space. 

I have grown to learn that my body is my home and right now, to take care of my home, I need rest, patience and self-compassion. While there might always be pressure to be doing more, seeing more, working more, I am choosing right now to rest because that is what I am truly needing at the moment.

So, however it might look to you, I invite you to find the time to take care of the home that is your body and give it the space and rest that it so often needs. 

Thank you for being here,

Morrissa

If you enjoyed this, please consider subscribing to my substack (linked here) to read more and support my work

Disclaimer:

The information in this post is provided for general informational and educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice. The practices shared here reflect personal experience, and may not be suitable for everyone. If you have any medical or mental health concerns, please consult a qualified healthcare provider before making changes to your routine. The author assumes no responsibility or liability for any outcomes resulting from the use of this information.