A couple of days ago, in response to my weekly horoscope, I recommended light exercise for its physical and creative benefits. Finding a balance between our emotional, mental, physical, and creative needs is important for our overall health, psychological well-being, and creativity.
In his books, Gay Hendricks – like on-and-off again presidential candidate Marianne Williamson – says that physical ailments arise when we have unresolved emotional and spiritual problems. “When your mind is confused, when your heart is heavy, when your soul is divided, you are ripe for illness to get a grip on you,” Hendricks writes in A Year of Living Consciously.
I think that’s mostly nonsense. No one gets a sore throat because they told a lie, or cancer due to infidelity. However, there is a sliver of truth in there. Overwork and inactivity make it harder for us to get up and move or maintain a healthy weight. Stress can cause back and muscle pain. Focusing too much on one area of our well-being can be detrimental to the others. Even positive activity – like exercise – can become a net negative if we use it to avoid addressing conflict or problems in our lives.
From one creative person to another, please take care of the whole you.