Ah, the Body!
Recently a friend was recovering from a long-standing illness. When I asked about the specifics of her condition and her healing she looked into my eyes, shrugged her shoulders, and said, “Ahhh, the body”. This is a conscious woman who sees herself as a spiritual being on a human path. It was something in the way she said “the body” that inspired me to write this month’s article: Love Your Body, It’s the Only One You’ve Got.
Self-care is a conscious decision to do what’s right to get fit and stay healthy on a mental and/or physical level. Years ago as a doula, I’d often recognize deteriorating self-care by new moms as a sign that things were rapidly going downhill emotionally. One study found that patients who reported better self-care after heart failure are less likely to have elevated levels of two biomarkers of myocardial stress and systemic inflammation. As Dr. Joel Fuhrman writes, “The finest health care in the world is proper self care: learning to live so healthfully that you can safely avoid hospitals, doctors, drugs, and surgery.
We all know that self-care is important. We all know that eating right increases longevity. We all know that regular exercise increases endorphins. We all know that getting a good night’s sleep makes us feel more clear-headed the next day. We all know engaging in the services of body workers supports our health. If we know all this, then why can’t we do these things on a regular basis? The answer lies surprisingly in some of our core issues.
Before I get into how to correct these, I want to make sure you understand what a core issue/belief is. It’s something that you live your life by. It’s your default operating system. It’s the reason why your life isn’t moving forward – the root of why you can’t reach your goals. Core issues/beliefs are learned in childhood events. Read my article on Matrix Reimprinting to get a look at core issues in action.
Here’s how you can effectively use tapping to achieve the level of self-care you need to thrive in the body. First, make a list of things you already know will be beneficial i.e. preparing healthy meals for yourself at home, going for daily 30 minute walks, having a moment of connection with your children every morning before you all head out the door. Next to each item write down why you haven’t instituted these great ideas already. In the 3rd column write down where you might have created such a belief. Finally write down what conclusions you drew from that experience.
| Self-Care Idea | Why I Don’t Do It | Related Event(s) | Conclusions I Drew |
|---|---|---|---|
| Healthy cooking | Not Enough Time | Mom rushing me at dinner when I was 6 | I’m not worth taking time to nurture myself |
| Walking 30 min | I’ve never stuck to an exercise routine | Dad told me I was lazy when I was 10 | I am lazy |
| Connecting with Kids | I have to get them ready myself, my husband won’t help | Didn’t get help getting help from sister when studying for a major exam when I was 14 | People don’t help me |
| Seeing a dentist every 6 months | Fear of dentist | Tooth exaction went wrong at age 8 | Dentists can’t be trusted |
As you can see in the above chart (all examples taken from my clients’ sessions) tapping on one presenting issue is usually connected to earlier events. Tapping on those earlier events will allow you to create a self-care regime you can really stick to.
