Headaches and Soul Work

I have a headache.

Not just a simple one either.

I’m talking a full-blown, my head is going to explode, headache.

The curious thing is I don’t get migraines, not really. Normally, I get tension-type headaches. As a general rule, I don’t have that sensitivity to light or nausea that often accompanies migraines. I do, often, have a sensitivity to sound.

However, that doesn’t mean I can function with this pulsing pressure that builds inside of my head either. Sleep is often the only cure outside of a cocktail of medications my doctor has given me.

I have been blessed in that these headaches only come on strong in times of high stress. I know my triggers thought I don’t always know how to make them go away.

I’ve had them a lot in the past year, and they have stopped me in my tracks.

I’ve struggled to move forward with my goals and dreams. In truth, I’ve struggled to write whenever I am hit with a headache.

How have I gotten through this? Good question.

Most often, I’ve just waited until a headache subsides or I sleep it off.

On days that I am unable to do this, I go slow. Slowly, I write my words. I move slowly and find the silence in my life.

In truth, I refill my soul.

Because, I’ve let ME slide and let everything else take over. I know it is my job to fill myself up. It is my job to take care of ME.

Sometimes I forget, and life overwhelms me. And, then I have headaches.

Headaches are the symptom that makes me take notice because they stop me where I stand. And, they are so not fun.

How do I refill my soul, so this doesn’t happen:

1. By examining my life as it stands currently, deciding if something needs to change, be let go of or simply ignored.

2. By finding ways to rest. The soul cannot recharge without rest and quiet.

3. By taking care of myself, whether this means a trip to the doctor, taking a nap, or chocolate, if I don’t take care of myself, I have nothing left for anything else. Besides I know what I need, even if that need is a snuggle with a grand baby or hubby.

4. By creating practices that take care of me. Whether that is meditation, exercise, deep breathing, yoga, or simply being, each of these has something to offer in taking care of me. By making them a practice, each activity becomes integrated into my life.

5. By finding beauty in the smallest of things. Stepping off my porch at night to see the star filled sky makes me stop in wonder. Catching a flower’s bloom or eating a ripe tomato fresh off the fine are some of the most beautiful things I’ve seen or done. At the top of the list includes watching my grandbabies sleep, snuggling with my cat and seeing a rainbow are among the others.

Taking care of me first is a struggle. I forget that sometimes and pay for it. Apparently, I have to learn the hard way.

Don’t be like me. Take care of you.