The "Yes"

Hey Steemiverse,

Let's talk about a beautiful phenomenon. Have you ever experienced a moment of, "YES! Thank you!" from your body, upon making a decision? It is a visceral sensation, one that speaks to choices well made. It tells you that you were right to select that input or perform that action. Alright, I'll stop speaking hypothetically and ground this discussion into the concrete.

Our bodies are the medium through which we experience everything. We ask a lot from our physical vessels in order to allow our souls to thrive. Because of this, we must feed our vessels in return. They hunger for food, sleep, and stretching; they require movement, stimulation, and TLC. Learning to balance these things is to tango with the universe. Let's find our dynamic rhythms and dance accordingly!

I am a firm believer in body language fluency. Not interpreting others', but listening to our own. Our vessels speak volumes if we take the time to listen. For instance: striking a balance between activity and rest. My body communicates its energy level as I shift between these states. If I have been running around (read: chicken with its head chopped off), it tells me to stop. My muscles become sore and easy movements feel challenging. I feel tired and lethargic. And then, I listen. I skip a day of exercise, and use the time to recharge. My body replies, "yes, this is what I needed" and rebounds with energy galore. That "yes" moment is so satisfying, because it assures me that I did the right thing.

Sometimes, however, we resist our bodies' natural signals. We push through exercise, grind out extra work, or otherwise deplete ourselves. We do so for a multitude of reasons: obligation, guilt, expectations, ect... But all of these things are external and arbitrary. Conforming to their command is neither healthy nor sustainable. We cannot pour from empty cups, and must therefore refill. Replenish. Restart. You will actually increase your capacity to thrive.

I'll share some examples from my own experience that consistently make my body scream "YES!" (orgasm style ;)
~ Whenever I take the time to stretch and flow, my body hums. It could be five minutes, could be an hour. Regardless, it is always exactly what I need.
~ Eating edamame. This sounds ridiculous, but this lil' soybean is a perfect protein. It satisfies all of our amino acid requirements, and as such, it makes sense that my bod craves it.
~ Sleeping more than 7 hours at night. I cannot overemphasize the difference this makes. I feel more clear minded and energetic, and more able to contend with challenges throughout the day.
~ Laughing. I have never felt more alive than mid- deep belly laugh with my loves.

I do not mean to imply that these things will work for you and your body. We're all individual, and require different things. Even our own bodies change over time, which requires a dynamic approach to how we treat them. Take joy in this fact! It is a fascinating, thrilling experience to learn how to take care of ourselves. Listen, learn, get messy in the process. It can only bring you closer to your deepest truth.