I'm Bigger Than My Body Gives Me Credit For ....John Mayer

My body frustrates me!

No, it is not because I am 5 foot 2 with small hands doing a "man's job".

 It is because my mind is willing but my body can’t always keep up.

After years of burning the candle at both ends I finally realized that I am no good to anyone when I am hungry, tired or run down. There were many times in the past when my staff had to pull on my reins to slow me down because they recognized the signs of fatigue before I did. When I got run down I was very irritable-a sure sign of fatigue for a woman who is usually laid back. I would ignore these signs until the point that I would suffer migraines, a rash on my neck or eye tics.

I did not treat my body with much respect in the past. I would push myself to the point of physical illness. I would have carpel tunnel symptoms, a frozen shoulder and/or general body aches. Even though I was exhausted all the time I could not sleep at night. If I did sleep I still felt horrible in the mornings. I felt the weight of the world on my shoulders and the muscle spasms in my back were warning me that I was reaching my breaking point.


I agree that we need to take care of ourselves so that we will be there for others but this theory really hit home for me when I witnessed my employees emulating me….and not in a good way. They started pushing themselves too hard. They would not go home when they were obviously sick; they would continue to work on patients when even though their hands would cramp up and they would not rest even though I noticed they were limping around the office.

When I would mention that they needed to slow down they stated that I pushed myself and worked with pain so they were not going to let me down. Wow, it is one thing for me to run myself into the ground but that is not the example I want to set for others.

I need to be a better role model.


So I started listening to them. When they stated they thought I needed a break I took a break. If they told me I was too sick to work on patients I went home. I was honored my staff regarded me as a role model but I figured out I had better set a good example.

So now I major in ‘Me’. I visit a chiropractor and receive regular body massages. I have a consistent exercise program. I eat healthy and I eat often. I flood my body with antioxidants and vitamins.

Most medications and vitamins irritate my stomach so I researched what I would have to eat to obtain all the nutrients I needed per day and set about eating it. I realized quickly that I was still not getting enough vitamins so I started taking a Flintstone’s kids vitamin.  Even though I was eating more food than I had ever eaten in my life I lost 15 pounds. I decided variety was the key to healthfulness so I varied the foods I ate each day and also varied my workouts. I started eating a healthy snack and drinking 12 oz of water at 10am every day even at work and even if I wasn’t hungry. I realized that I needed fuel to get through the morning so I could be the best for my patients. I started taking Yoga classes and scheduled chiropractic and massage visits. I hired a personal trainer for a month and he taught me the proper way to lift weights and got me on a schedule. I started listening to my body….my wrists, elbow back and knees became my boss. I still experience aches and pains but now I listen to my body and hear what it says.

My back is my barometer now. It detects changes in the pressure in my life. When I stress starts to weigh on me the little hairs on the back of my neck prickle and the muscles in my back start to spasm. I listen to my back now because it is wiser than my brain.

The most important ingredient in leadership is self-leadership....the ability to lead you. We have all heard the saying that you can’t take care of other people until you first take care of yourself which reminds me of something my parents used to say when I was young…you can’t love somebody until you love yourself.