Are Your Habits Choosing You?
Your daily habits amount to the state of your nervous system and the level of vitality you experience.
I mean we blame it on our ‘hormones’ and our job and anything external we can think to pin it on, but the truth is, every single one of us is ‘choosing’ the lifestyle, habits, diet, work and rest that we’re living whether we realise it or not.
And if you’re like most people in 2023, you are over-stimulated, over-scheduled and under-rested; your nervous system is sitting predominantly in the sympathetic realm, meaning that you are constantly on edge, unable to digest food efficiently, not getting quality sleep, and conserving fat cells for the ‘emergency’ that your body thinks you’re experiencing. This is an important state for your body to visit occasionally – like when the stress is genuinely high or an emergency is actually taking place… but most of us have set up camp there and we don’t know how to step out, activate our rest and reset centre (the Parasympathetic Nervous System) and find true calm. Living the accelerated, demanding and frenetic life you do, your nervous system is stretched, volatile – unable to be properly regulated, and it’s having a big (bad) impact on your body.
You see, the relationship between your nervous system and your gut health dictates your emotional wellbeing and every other aspect of your health (hormones, skin, immunity, sleep, focus, inflammation - I’m talking ALL the things). A nervous system that is dysregulated cannot manage weight, cannot regulate hormones, will not heal and can never thrive.
This is the part I want you to understand:
The choices you’re making every day - the way you’re supporting yourself or not, the nourishment you’re having or not, the rest you’re prioritising or not, the brain fog you’re clearing, or not – these daily choices are keeping you in dysregulated state - where you lack clarity, cannot lose weight or clear your skin, where you cannot heal…. Or they’re moving you closer to a state of balance where you can think clearly, look radiant, feel calm and maintain a healthy and desirable weight. Either way, your conscious choosing (or lack thereof) is dictating your life.
People are often surprised when they join my programs or start coaching with me, that I start with stress and nervous system support before I even ask about wine and cheese. There’s no working on the latter before we understand the former. They’re either BFF’s or they’re mortal enemies and your body is evidence of which.
So, what’s a girl to do?
START SOMEWHERE. START TODAY.
Prioritise soothing your nervous system in pockets of time that you can carve out. Switch out the time you spend scrolling, the time you spend stressing about your to-do list but not achieving any of it, the time you spend waiting in the school car park or the morning tea break where you used to guzzle coffee and chocolate biscuits (‘Hi acid, come on in and keep my body totally dysregulated’). Because if nothing changes, you will change nothing.
Simple practices like the waterfall pose (pictured), combined with essential oils that are known to deeply soothe your nervous system are incredible tools for bringing your nervous system and your body back into balance so that you can be your best.
Choose your favourite doTERRA oils - grounding wood oils or gentle calming florals. I adore oils like Clary Calm or Neroli for my arms, Rose or Forgive for my chest, Balance or Affirm for my feet and Frankincense for the roof of my mouth or under my tongue. Vetiver for the back of my neck. There is no right answer here – it’s whatever helps YOU to feel more calm, more grounded.
Then making space on the ground or a bed, simply place your bottom as close to the wall as possible and place your legs up the wall. The key is to eliminate potential disruptions, which means turning phones off, prepping kids with snacks, toys, and books and letting them know that you’ll be in this position for 10 mins (or more). Then let your body do its thing!
Waterfall position can be done as often as possible and supports your body in the following ways:
Slows heart rate and offers deep relaxation for the nervous system
Reduces feelings of anxiousness
Alleviates abdominal tension and menstrual discomfort
Improves digestion
Relaxes your entire body and opens backs of legs
Supports backaches, neck tension, and leg cramps
May improve sleep
Babe, it’s time we took control of our habits, our time and our health back. Small things, done consistently, will create enormous shifts in your health, weight, wellbeing, and joy over time. But you have to start. Start today.