Body, Mind, Spirit: Being Balanced when Bearing Changes
We’re all going through stuff. You never know what’s on someone’s plate… and rarely know what’s going on in our own heads. Perhaps speaking up about our own troubles can offer perspective and help someone else find balance. Here’s a collection of my experiences and insights into being physically, mentally and spiritually balanced through change.
On a drive to the coast, my partner said “You look stressed… Why are you touching your face?”. I replied with “I don’t have a very good poker face, do I?”
Body
During 7th grade, my girlfriend at the time had an ex who was known for being a jerk… and a gym rat. I was running late for class one day, turned the corner, and we collided. Without hesitation, he swatted my books and papers to the floor. Never being one for confrontation, I timidly picked up my things and went about my life.
Fast forward a few years, I was in college living the dream: partying by night and studying by day. Skateboarding was always my sport of choice so naturally I fell in love with longboarding (a bigger and typically faster-moving skateboard). Zooming down a steeper-than-normal street corner, I had a nasty spill… but again I picked myself up and never looked back.
I’m sharing these two stories because they’ve recently been tied together unexpectedly.
Backpain at work became unbearable so I went in for an X-ray and discovered a compression fracture in my back (this whole time I thought backpain was just part of the job). The doctor instructed me to hit the gym and build muscle. This would support by back and overall body structure.
With an open mind, I pushed myself into an unfamiliar habit; gym-going.
My partner Sabey and I go for a walk everyday, maintain a healthy diet, and do our best to stay positive. She’s been urging for us to join a gym together and, in all honesty, we’ve attempted to but nothing really stuck. Finally, we signed her up to a decent facility and I tagged along for the first few days. Gradually, I identified my own emotions of anger and frustration.
“Why do I feel this deep rooted angst toward being at the gym?”
My intuition led me to ponder my resistance. As a slender teenage skateboarder, it was somewhat excusable but as an adult I needed to confront the culprit. Long story short, I remembered my “emotional trauma” that happened with the gym-rat jerk in 7th grade. As they say, “hurt people hurt people”. In my heart (and under my breath) I forgave the long-forgotten bully.
Emotional Intelligence has really coming in handy lately!
Mind
Sabey now meets with a personal trainer regularly and the last time I tagged along I had an entire hour to myself (something I very much enjoy!). I did spend nearly the whole hour on a yoga mat stretching and doing a breathing exercises. Omitting the occasional feelings of awkwardness, I tried to relax while the people around me where grunting, sweating and lightly glancing around the room.
I pondered the results of a personality test I took recently. My mother had shown me the Myers Briggs test long ago but in the last few months I’ve retaken it… twice (for consistency) only to find the same result. Along with Marilyn Monroe, Magic Johnson, John Travolta and other extraordinary people… I’m an ISFP. This stands for Introverted, Sensing, Feeling, Perceiving. I’ve mostly been focused on the first element… Introvert.
As I laid on the gym floor, here were some of my thoughts…
I’ve heard of body shaming but is there such thing as personality shaming?”
I always thought introverts were inferior… should I change my personality?”
What if I genuinely have better results outside of the gym? (at home or in the back yard)”
Truly, I’ve only just begun to explore the implications and embrace my natural notions. Some call it pseudoscience but nevertheless the insight and entertainment provided by this free personality test (derived from Carl Jung’s work) is worth exploring. The link is found below.
Spirit
During my first week in furlough, I realized I’ve been consistently working or in school, or both since high school. Sabey’s birthday was nearing and we decided a long weekend getaway was needed. Her mother lives near Houston so we headed to the beaches of Galveston, Texas.
On the interstate, I fell into deep a retrospect. Confiding in Sabey, I said “I feel like the only person I know who actually wants a corporate/desk job.” She comforted me by saying “Just because we’ve never been around people like that doesn’t mean they don’t exist.” As usual, her support kept me going.
While driving, I recalled us living together, worry-free, in a small apartment; working just enough to pay rent. Fully amused by free time and sightseeing, We never once worried about finances. Uh… more of this feeling, please!
Moments down the road, I remembered part of a short story I had written about a vigilante with his own coffee shop. The secret lair was a warehouse converted into a hipster coffee lounge… equipped with a loft and swag furniture. Another scene came to mind of dust particles that dance in rays of sun coming from an entryway window.
It’s amazing how memories can ease tenseness in our shoulders.
After dashing through Dallas traffic, I’m relieved to see the cities edge; thick dried grass and brick-red wild flowers. Feeling young again.
After adopting healthy lifestyle habits, I have new confidence and clarity. Perhaps this inner potential led me to Google “casting calls nearby”. I’ve never told anyone this but for months I’ve wondered what it would be like to be interviewed on a late night talk show (for any honorable reason really).
These pursuits are far from my current realty as a marketing major and business analyst, but it goes to show the elasticity of thought. My mother is a free spirit so I’m at least 50% free-spirited, right? I‘m guessing it’s only a matter of dismissing our self-limiting beliefs to set free all three parts of us (body, mind, spirit).
To Cumulate and Conclude
Our weekend getaway turned out more stressful than relaxing; HOWEVER, valuable lessons were uncovered. I do hope your time reading this has been inspiring. If you’ve skimmed because it got boring then here’s the meat and potatoes (the takeaways).
~There's hidden value in our vulnerabilities.~
~2 days of driving for 2 days of relaxing isn’t a good idea for vacation.~
~Learn the personality type of yourself and your partner.~
My mantra of choice has long been “life is good” and I still believe it to be true; however, balancing efforts to heal the body, mind, and spirit is no easy task. As I’ve come to accept this, mother nature’s never-ending changes have become a little more bearable.
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