I used to think that my value as a human being was determined by the output we provide. After all that is what society programs us to believe. The more you hustle the more you will succeed in this lifetime. We are bombarded every day with new stories of how the harder you work the better your life will be.
This can lead us into a shame filled spiral when the seasons of life come where we need to rest. We are cyclic beings. Just like the seasons we too have our very own Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter. By living in a society that values the constant hustle we are betraying our true nature.
We cast aside what we know we truly need. We think of rest as something for the weak. We neglect our boundaries and then burnout becomes inevitable. By ignoring our true cycles we are casting aside the very nature of our being. Our bodies have to step in and make the grind stop. We get sick, we have an accident or our mental health starts to deteriorate. This then forces us to stop- we can no longer continue the hustle in the way we used to, our bodies can no longer cope.
The road to recovery can be very difficult. We may still not realize that this is a part of our very nature and we need to honour our seasons. We may rest until our symptoms become manageable- then we start the grind again. Instead of listening to our natural seasons we create our own patterns of sickness in our lives. We go from overworked and burnt out to slightly rested and ready to do it again.
We need to learn to listen to what our bodies are telling us. The ancient wisdom lies within if only we stop and learn how to listen to it. By connecting to our bodies and becoming familiar with our cycles we can stop the pattern of burnout. We can learn to work with our cycles instead of against them.
It has taken me a very long time to learn this lesson. It is still something I have to practice- you don’t just wake up one day and know how to read your body and your cycles. You need to take the time to learn to do so.
This season I am in a season of waiting. I still struggle with this phase. My impatience and my incessant need to be going or doing attributes to why this part of the cycle is hard for me. I had to learn that my value is not determined by my output.
Your value is not determined by your output.
Amber St Jean
We are losing the connection to ourselves. We are putting more value on what we can give rather than who we are.
Practical Tips on How to Listen to Your Body and Learn Your Cycles
Set boundaries- Around people – Pay attention when you are around people. Does your energy start to drain when you are with certain people? Do you leave conversations with that person recharged or drained? This is your bodies way of communicating with you. Be sure to set boundaries around how much time you see that person.
Around time– Your time is your most precious nonrenewable resource. Every yes you say to something is a no to something else. Learn your personal values and run your calendar by them.
Move- Yoga has become one of the best practices in my personal journey for releasing tension stored in my body. I have learned to get still and feel where I am holding on to emotions that no longer serve me. Through this practice I have learned to shift these blocked emotions and release what I need to. Your body has the ability to store emotions even after we think they have gone. Most of us hold tension in our necks and our backs. Even by stretching you can release some of this backed up tension.
Breathwork/Breathing Practice– If you are not able bodied this can have the same effect as the above tip! By connecting with our breath we are connecting with the very source of life. We can recharge ourselves and ground into the moment by focusing on our breath. Many of us unconsciously breathe shallowly and do not tap into the full potential breathing has to offer. By learning to connect to our breathing we are connecting with our bodies.
Become Aware– Just by knowing that you are a cyclic being you are already a step ahead. Now it is time for you to become the observer. You will start to see patterns in your life. When you are more creative and having more output you are in your Spring. When you are harvesting the fruits of your labor you are in your Fall. The season of waiting is your Winter. Start to recognize these patterns in your life and take note of how you feel during each of them.
Over time you will begin to see the connection you have with your body after having taken the time to learn to listen to it. You will start to begin to see the patterns of your cycles in your life. You will begin to anticipate and plan around them.
Does this resonate with you? What season do you feel like you are in now? What are some lessons you are learning in this season? Let me know below!
Much love!
Amber St. Jean
Intuitive Souls 