For about 3 years as I approached perimenopause, my body started speaking to me. I had a tight chest sometimes, I had some body aches, I didn't sleep as well, I was low on energy, I craved sugar, my back and neck ached and I had poor posture.
All of those conditions I attributed to the stresses of life, having gone through relationship changes, working in a bad environment and just plain getting older. What I didn't realize was that it was my body saying "hey, something is about to change." It's so subtle and the symptoms creep up.
I know I was listening to my body subconsciously because I started changing my eating habits, I took more time for myself, I started to seek out more productive and positive relationships, I left the job that was stressing me out, and I started doing yoga and going to the chiropractor.
Although I was starting to get it, I didn't totally get it. I didn't suspect that at the beginning of my 40s there was something bigger going on. Right before I physically showed more obvious signs of perimenopause, I had a dream. That's right, a dream. I know that a lot of dreams are arbitrary or just processing the day or processing an issue that isn't being dealt with, but this particular dream didn't seem like just a dream. I knew that it had significance. I dreamt that I knew something was going on with my reproductive system, yet I didn't get it checked out.
Dreaming about health issues, especially seemingly unknown issues may seem a little out there, but if you think about it, what's the risk? You get it checked out and it's nothing? OK - so you went to the doc for nothing, but what if I had listened to my body and gotten things checked out? Going into menopause isn't life threatening, but it is a major life change. I could have entered into it with ease instead of feeling like I hit a brick wall.
As we age a lot takes place, but just because we age it doesn't always mean that aches and changes are more acceptable. Take a few moments out of your day and meditate. Just 5 minutes can make a difference. Close out all distractions and focus on the part of your body that speaks the loudest. What is your body trying to tell you?