Your body doesn't only need attention when something is wrong

We tend to pay attention to our bodies when they give us a reason to: a neck that has become stiff enough to be noticed, a persistently aching back, heavy and tense shoulders, realising that we are aching from sitting in the same position for far too long... In short, we wait until the discomfort becomes difficult to ignore.

However, what if caring for your body didn't have to begin with a problem? What if we became a little more interested in how our bodies are feeling before they start demanding our attention?

Your body is communicating with you all the time

Our bodies are constantly responding to what we ask of them: the way we sit at a desk, the amount of time we spend looking down at a screen, how we carry shopping, drive, stand in the kitchen, care for our children, work on our feet, rest on the sofa etc. None of these things are necessarily problematic in themselves. However, our bodies adapt to the positions, movements and demands that make up these activities and our everyday lives.

Sometimes we don't notice these adaptations until they become uncomfortable. A shoulder may gradually begin to sit higher than the other. Breathing may become a little shallower. Hips start to feel less mobile. The whole body is turned rather than the neck when you look behind you. These can be very subtle changes, but "subtle" is important. If we only respond when something really hurts, we've missed all the opportunities to listen beforehand.

We don't have to wait for discomfort to tell us what we need

There is a tendency to think of stretching and movement as solutions to the problems outlined above. Sometimes that is exactly what we need. However, movement doesn't always have to be a response to something being wrong. It can simply be a way of maintaining a conversation with your body.

You might notice that you've been still for a while and decide to stand up. You may feel your shoulders becoming tense and move them gently. Or you might realise that you've been holding your breath and allow yourself a slower, fuller breath. You might notice that your body wants to move in a particular direction and explore that movement without trying to achieve a particular stretch.

None of these actions needs to be a correction. They can simply be responses to what you notice.

This is where small moments become valuable

We often imagine that looking after our bodies requires dedicated time, such as an hour of yoga, walking, stretching, etc. There is something wonderful about having that amount of uninterrupted time to practise, but real life doesn't always provide that.

Fortunately, movement doesn't only happen during formal exercise, it can also happen in the space between things, such as whilst you're waiting for the kettle to boil, after you've finished a phone call, before you get back into the car, whilst you're waiting in a queue, when you stand up after sitting for a while, before you climb into bed etc.

These moments don't need to become mini workouts, they can become opportunities to check in with yourself:

How does my body feel right now?

Where am I holding tension?

Have I been in one position for too long?

Would a little movement feel good?

Would stillness feel better?

That last question is important too, since listening to your body doesn't always mean doing more. Sometimes your body is simply asking for rest.

Your body shouldn't need to scream for your attention

We can become very good at putting ourselves at the bottom of the list as we tend to our children, complete important work, keep the household moving, answer emails, tick off daily responsibilities... Somewhere along the way, our own bodies just become background noise.

We might not deliberately ignore ourselves. We simply become accustomed to carrying on. So small moments of awareness matter. Each time you pause and notice your body, you are practising paying attention to yourself, which can be surprisingly easy to lose sight of when life is busy.

Give yourself a few minutes to hit the pause button

For a little guidance, you're very welcome to join me for one of my weekly live Zoom practices.

Yang Yin Yoga

A gentle combination of flowing movement and longer-held Yin Yoga stretches, offering a grounding and supportive way to begin the week.

Lunchtime Reset

A short, gentle practice designed to interrupt the momentum of your day, move your body and give your mind a chance to settle before you return to whatever comes next.

Both classes are just 30 minutes.

No pressure to perform. No expectation. Simply an opportunity to pause, notice how you're feeling and move in a way that supports you. See the schedule here.