Lessons from Mother Nature and listening to your body

As I sit here enjoying my breakfast and a second day of muscle soreness from my workout Monday, my brain and body are arguing with each other. My body says rest, but my brain says "No!". My body says, "I need a change!", but my brain says, "No, what you've been doing has been working, you DON'T want to change that, do you?". As I'm sitting here trying to figure out what I want to do, I've had a thought. Sometimes you need to think outside the confines of the physical body to find an answer. Some logic. Some common sense. I started thinking of my neighbor's garden and the fields around the house I grew up in. About the biggest living organism and how it works...our planet. 

     When I was a kid there were HUGE fields all around our house. One year they would plant corn, another wheat, another soy beans, yet others the field would lay empty. I couldn't figure it out until it was explained to me by a friend who owned a farm that if you plant the same crop every  year the soil will become useless. Every plant takes slightly different nutrients from the soil so rotating crops helped to keep the soil from "dying", and every so often the soil needs a complete rest to repair itself so it's left empty some years. What brought this back to mind is that out neighbors (who grow an amazing garden) had decided to let the soil rest this year. It's odd to see that plot of land empty instead of little green sprouting plants, but because of the opportunity to rest, next year's garden will be even better!

     My point? If you think about it, we are kind of a micro version of the largest living organism out there. Our bodies need change and rest to become their best. I've been doing the same thing for the last year and a half, and it's worked, but maybe it's time for a change. I've been planting nothing but corn for the last year and a half and the soil is becoming depleted. I can't help but think that maybe reversing some things and changing things up is just what I need to jump start my motivation and burst through the plateau. For me personally, it means I'm going to try cutting back on my running (I could NEVER NOT run), up my gym time and maybe incorporate some different outdoor activity. It's summer so there's so much to do out there! For you it may be different, but that change may be just what you need!

    As I finish up, let me say this. I know there is a motivational saying that says the body won't go where the mind doesn't push it, and while there is truth to that, sometimes you NEED to listen to your body. Watch for the signals that tell you you are overtraining, getting stale or flirting with injury. Your brain works purely on logic and there are times you need the common sense signals from your body to override that logic. Train smart, train hard, train for life. You got this!!

Much love, 

The Tiny Tigress