February 2012 – We Only Get One Chance

HAVE MORE FUN

I just love Mondays! There is something so fresh about starting a new week and after such a great weekend, I was ready to rock and roll! One of the first people on my table this morning has had a few weeks of neck pain that he calls “stress neck”. In beginning the conversation with him this morning I asked him if he had any fun this past weekend (though I was away, I know we got a lot of snow here in Michigan…and snow=sledding). He responded “actually yes I did have some fun playing outside with the kids this weekend. And the strangest thing, when I got in from playing in the snow, my neck felt great. It was the first time I was pain-free in a few weeks. Then I realized later in the day, something stressful hit me again and I watched the pain set back in.”

Hmmmm…interesting. It was really wonderful that he was able to come to this awareness for himself as stress is the culprit of so much that ails our bodies. It is so important to make time for stress-reducing activities as a regular part of our week. We are bombarded with stress on many levels and coming from many different directions on a daily basis. When we are having fun, stress hormones decrease and endorphins (the body’s natural “feel good” and healing chemicals) increase. It is necessary to find ways to reduce the stress load and let the body be free. When was the last time you played outside? Have you danced lately? Have you ran around and screamed lately? Have you been chased on the playground? Have you been down a slide lately? Ridden your bike? Played a sport with some friends? or laughed so hard your cheeks and belly hurt? GO DO IT!!! HAVE SOME FUN!!!

I am as guilty as the next person when it comes to taking life seriously. I am a pretty serious and rather stoic for the most part. I have to consciously take time to play and be a kid…and when I do, I feel the most ALIVE!!! Life is so much more fulfilling when we find time to be a kid again. Have you been having some fun? How have you been spending your time? GET OUT THERE AND HAVE MORE FUN!!! …we only get one chance.

SMALL MIRACLES IN THIS BIG, BIG WORLD

The most amazing thing just happened in my Cafe of LIFE. A severely behaviorly impaired 2.5 year old came into my office for his first visit running and screaming down my halls. He hasn’t been listening or speaking to his parents or anyone and is rather “glassed over” when you try to make eye contact. My CA and I were strategizing on how to get this little guy adjusted and knew it was going to have to be a chase him around to make it happen because I will not restrain unless absolutely necessary (which I havent found it necessary yet) I chatted with his parents about what has been going on for him for a while and discussed that I am not going to force him to do anything which means that we may or may not be able to get a good adjustment in today. I wasnt even going to present him with the idea of getting onto a table. I left and adjusted another person in another room and when I returned to the room he was sitting with his back to me on his mom’s lap. I started to do really light force work and watched his body unwind. He was fine with that for a bit and got tired of sitting…with zero prompts from me and no information at all about what to do on an adjusting table, he jumped down off his mom’s lap and climbed right up on the kids adjusting table and went face down as if to say “I know you are good and I know you can help me…let me make it easier to access my spine and nerve system”. It was the most beautiful expression of Innate Intelligence I have ever seen. Life is amazing and being a Chiropractor is just icing on the cake.

I HAVE A STORY TO TELL

I live a very blessed life. It has changed for the better this past month and I know that you can probably tell that is true through my posts. I am amazed, in awe and disbelief that life could possibly be like this. I could try to phrase the story in a way that would make sense on here but it would take pages and pages. Instead…when you have about 20 minutes and a box of tissues…go to http://www.ridenthewave.us/ and you will see a post called “Happy Valentine’s Day 2012” and 4 videos…that was my Heart Day present from my beau this year and I just wanted to share.

I have had an image in life about what I wanted my relationship to look and feel like. I have to admit that over the years, with all that I have been through, it has gotten a little bit jaded. Now when I look back, all the lessons I have learned along the way were totally worth it. “People are put in our lives for a reason, a season or a lifetime”. Many times in the beginning it feels like it is for a lifetime, and then things change. Often things are hard to figure out in the moment, however if we stick with it long enough, the reason usually reveals itself in retrospect. I see it now. I am not naive enough (though I am hopeful) to think that what is happening now will always stay this way…however if the foundation is strong, the ground can stay steady enough to be able to weather the storms together. I think that is what love is really all about.