Give Yourself A Break!

In my Pilates classes, I noticed the class instructor always gives us the option of three levels of intensities to choose from. There was always an easy, medium or hard option and we were to choose the right level for us.

I always pondered on the purpose of this until the penny finally dropped: We are all at different places (i.e. seasons) in our lives which has a direct impact on our abilities. Some in the class are young whilst others are well beyond the age of retirement. Whilst we have seemingly fit individuals, we also have people struggling with various ailments (e.g. muscular or joint pain/problems). There are also expectant mums at various stages of their pregnancy. And so, it becomes pertinent that the class accommodates all these varying needs – hence the 3 different levels.

Looking at life, we can draw some parallels from my Pilates class. At times we face life-changing situations and/or challenging times. Whilst some of us are coming out of a challenge, others are about to hit one or are facing it square in the face. Another way of looking at it is the different seasons we experience. Just like the seasons throughout the year, we also experience spring, summer, autumn and winter seasons in our lives too.

Bearing this in mind, isn’t it high time we recognise these changes and give ourselves a break? By this I mean adjusting our ‘levels of intensity’ depending on what we are facing or the season we are going through (e.g. sickness, bereavement, separation, failure, disappointment, promotion, child birth, marriage, aging, studying, etc). Can we indeed expect to go through life at the same pace all the time? The answer is No! By doing this, none of us need to give up and/or drop out of the race altogether. But by picking an appropriate pace suitable for where we are, we can maintain our momentum albeit at a different pace. For some of us this may mean standing still for a moment or taking baby steps whilst we let others leap on ahead. Doing this does not make us weak. Rather, I reckon it’s pure wisdom for living.

So why not do yourself a favour? Reflect on where you are right now. Do you need to increase or decrease your level of intensity? Only thou knowest!

Written by Gladys Famoriyo (Author, Healing A Discouraged Heart & Overcoming Emotional Baggage). Find our more about our events and resources at www.gladysf.com or call +44(0)870 750 1969.