I Have A Confession…

And other thoughts on caring for your body and on deciding where your money goes.

Cindy Norton Stokes

Jul 19, 2022

I have a confession…

I Live In My Imagination

I sometimes live in my imagination and believe it to be true.

I imagine myself to be someone who takes really good care of their mind, body, and spirit.

Like, I imagine that I’m someone who regularly gets bodywork and massages. Someone who incorporates movement into their daily routine. Someone who nourishes their body with healthy food. You know - all the things that we so often aim for but end up falling short on?

An Eye-Opening Realization

Recently I’ve came to the realization that I’m not really doing anything for myself - especially in regards to caring for my body.

Even though I’ve came to this realization, I am still being gentle with myself. I’m not blaming or judging. I’m just noticing.

We have all been through a tough time the past few years, and many of us have not been in the headspace to keep up with our routines and truly care for ourselves. We’ve been in survival mode, and have likely fallen down into some pretty dark holes.

And that’s okay. We’re human. We’re always learning, changing, and growing. And things never stay the same.

So What’s The Confession?

Now back to my confession. Remember when I said that I imagine myself to be someone who regularly gets bodywork and massages?

-I had my first ever Reiki session last month.

-And I had a professional massage last week - for the first time in over 20 years!

How could this be?

I’ve been trying to make sense of this. For me, at least, I believe that we all know the things that are “good” for us, but we don’t always take action on them.

Why is this?

What’s Important?

Some (but not all) self care practices take money. And I often find myself allocating my money to things that I deem more “important.” Like paying my bills and paying down debt.

I also easily spend money on things for my business and for professional development. I have no problem spending money on books, trainings, and workshops.

I’ll even buy all kinds of random household shit that I think I need before I turn my attention to something that would truly benefit my body.

But when it comes to spending money on the care for my body, there seems to be no money left over. Other things have been deemed as more important.

It All Begins With One Small Step

If I were to look at ALL the things that I’m not doing for my body and spirit, it would be easy to get overwhelmed, and therefore paralyzed.

I could see that I need to implement an exercise routine, overhaul my diet and plan for healthier meals, ensure daily meditation and yoga, schedule more bodywork sessions, and so on.

This makes me feel that it’s all too much, and I’m back to doing nothing.

But what if I just do one small thing?

In June I scheduled a reiki session.

In July I scheduled a massage.

Next month I may revisit this cool little exercise app on my phone that has tons of 3-5 minute fun ways to move my body. And maybe I’ll check in with it a few times a week.

And during my next visit to the grocery store I’m going to buy my favorite fruits (no matter the cost of raspberries!) for some yummy snacking, as well as my favorite ice cream - because it’s all about balance.

We get to where we’re going by first taking a small step.

What’s one thing that you’d like to do for yourself this month?

I’d Love To Hear From You

I’m curious if you ever live in your imagination like I sometimes do? Imagining yourself as a certain type of person who does certain types of things - only to find out that reality is a different story?

Please tell me I’m not the only one? Just a like or a quick comment on this post will suffice.

And if you’re feeling frisky, let me know how you struggle with this.

Enjoy Your Summer!

I’ll be back here soon.

May The Forest Be With You,

Cindy