Your body isn't working against you... It's trying to protect you

When we're in pain or feeling uncomfortable, it's easy to feel frustrated with our bodies.

Maybe you've even found yourself saying:

"My body's falling apart."

"Why is my body doing this to me?"

Or even:

"My body is working against me."

It's a completely understandable reaction. But what if your body wasn't trying to work against you? What if, in many cases, it was actually trying to protect you?

Our bodies are constantly communicating with us. Sometimes that communication comes in ways we'd much rather not experience.

Pain.

Tightness.

Stiffness.

Bloating.

Muscle tension.

Changes in the way we move.

These experiences can have many different causes, but they're often your body's way of letting you know that something needs attention. Because your body isn't working against you or trying to punish you. But because it's trying to protect you.

Protection isn't always comfortable. When an area feels vulnerable, irritated or under strain, the body will often respond by:

tightening muscles

limiting movement

changing posture

or encouraging us to slow down.

These responses can feel frustrating. But, they're often the body's way of trying to prevent something from becoming worse. Your body isn't trying to make life difficult. It's trying to help you avoid making something worse.

Sometimes, though, that protection outstays its welcome. The body becomes so good at protecting an area that it doesn't always realise when it's safe to ease off.

I often see this around:

old scars

persistent muscle tension

guarding through the abdomen

or a pelvic floor that's been working hard for a long time.

The protection made complete sense at one point.

Sometimes it just needs a little support to realise it doesn't have to work quite so hard anymore.

One of the biggest shifts I see happens when women become curious.

Instead of asking:

"What's wrong with me?"

They begin asking:

"What might my body be trying to protect?"

It's a small change in wording. But it often changes the whole conversation.

Because curiosity opens the door to understanding, and understanding often opens the door to change.

Our bodies are incredibly clever. They're constantly adapting, protecting and doing their best to keep us moving forward. Sometimes they need a little support to stop protecting quite so hard. And understanding that can be the first step towards feeling more comfortable again.

Love, always

Dawn xx