Your exhaustion is information, not inconvenience

How's your body feeling right now? Not what your mind thinks about your body. What is your body actually telling you?

Tight shoulders? Clenched jaw? That familiar knot in your stomach? Exhaustion that sleep doesn't fix?

These aren't inconveniences to push through. They're information.

Your body has been trying to tell you something. The question is: are you listening?

We live in a culture that teaches us to override our physical signals. To push through the fatigue. To ignore the tension. To treat our bodies like machines that should just keep running regardless of what they need.

But here's what I know: your exhaustion isn't weakness. Your tension isn't a character flaw. Your body's signals are actually wisdom trying to get your attention.

Your body keeps the score. It remembers what your mind tries to forget.

Three body check-in practices for this week:

The five-second pause. Before you say yes to anything, pause for five seconds and notice what happens in your body. Does your chest tighten? Do your shoulders drop? Does your stomach clench? Your body knows the answer before your mind rationalizes it.

Name the sensation. Instead of pushing through physical discomfort, try naming it. "There's tightness in my jaw." "My shoulders are up by my ears." "My stomach feels heavy." You don't have to fix it. Just notice it. Awareness is the first step to change.

Ask what it needs. When you notice tension or exhaustion, ask your body directly: "What do you need right now?" Not what you think you should need. What does your body actually need? Rest? Movement? A boundary? Space? Then see if you can honor at least one thing.

Your body is not your enemy. It's your wisest teacher. It knows when something is wrong long before your mind is ready to admit it. It knows what you need before you're willing to ask for it.

What if instead of overriding these signals, you started listening to them? What is your body trying to tell you today?