Missing Something?

Two toys playing hide and seek

Are you so focused on what’s happening in your physical body that you might be missing something important?

Last week, I spoke with a woman who has fibromyalgia. She often shared how this chronic condition prevented her from doing many things in her life. One day, someone said to her, “If you continue to talk about your fibromyalgia in that way, you may miss something important.” Those were the words she needed; they became a turning point in her life.

Missing something?

When we limit our lives because of ailments in our physical bodies, we begin to identify with those limitations. Over time, we lose sight of what’s still possible for us.

We’re more than just a physical body. There’re many invisible influences shaping how our bodies respond in each moment.

Consider this…our physical bodies respond to our thoughts and emotions every day. Every ache, every pain, every sensation is connected in some way to what we’re thinking and feeling…whether those thoughts and feelings are positive or negative in nature.

Let’s look at a few examples:

Martha had been wanting to talk to her spouse about expanding her business. She worried about how her spouse might react. After putting it off for days, she promised herself she’d finally do it that day. Her spouse walked into the room and Martha immediately tensed up. She felt sick to her stomach and began having abdominal pains. When her spouse asked what was wrong, she said it must be her fibromyalgia acting up again. She said nothing more and went to lie down.

Martha had also been working long hours in her business for two weeks. Feeling exhausted, she thought she could take the afternoon off to spend time with her children. Later that morning, a new quote request came in. Instead of being with her kids, she decided she should handle the quote while she had the extra time. As she started working, she felt drained. Her shoulders grew heavy, and her back began to hurt. She ignored the pain and told herself she had to be strong and push through until her business took off. She could spend time with her children another day.

Max was excited to present his business idea at a company meeting that afternoon. Just after lunch, he learned that three managers would attend…one of whom had criticized his work in the past. Almost immediately, Max felt nauseated and lightheaded. He decided to cancel his presentation, convinced he had the flu, and went home.

In each one of these examples, I’ve demonstrated how easily we get caught up in what we think is happening in our bodies. When we focus only on our ailments without considering the invisible influences behind them, we can end up missing something important.

Our bodies have a beautiful way of getting our attention at the most appropriate times. The question to ask…what else is happening in our lives when our bodies respond like this?

This is about becoming aware of the thoughts and feelings that show up when aches, pains or illnesses surface. Every sensation we feel offers an opportunity to learn, grow, and heal.

It’s about noticing what’s going on inside in relation to what’s happening outside of us.

As we begin a new year, I invite you to reflect on what you might be missing…things that could quietly be limiting you.They might be related to your health, finances, relationships or even spiritual growth. What is it for you?

We either hold ourselves in a place of limitation or we acknowledge what’s happening and look deeper. With awareness we discover more about ourselves than we ever expected.

Wherever you are on your journey, may you find your own truth…find what works for you… and you’ll always be guided to feel at peace inside.