As holiday songs play from the car radio, the harsh glare of the Service Engine Soon light on the car dashboard is unrelenting.
Every time I get into the car to drive to a store, or to work, or to soccer practice, it is in my face, reminding me to take care of the car.
Neglected for too long, a car’s engine will ultimately fail. Vehicle warning lights indicate a problem or potential problem with the system or component. It could be something as simple as a broken taillight, to a more serious problem like transmission failure.
My husband says that the warning light also reminds him that he, too, needs a tune-up.
I think he’s got a point. Little stressors are adding up in my life. A reorganization at work, a homework meltdown (or two), and discovering the dog has vomited on the carpet (again). These little things build upon each other to create a buzzing hive inside my head. Like the car, my body is giving me warning signs, too. I’m feeling tired, sad and sluggish. A few days ago I got a bloody nose. My neck and shoulders are tense from too much mousing, and sometimes my hand falls asleep before I do. I can’t seem to finish anything I start, and my diet resembles Will Farrell’s elf-food pyramid of sugary foodstuff consumption in the movie Elf. (Check out this story of 8 things you never knew about the Christmas movie Elf).
In the midst of rushing around during this joyous holiday season, there’s no better time than now to take pause and check in with what our bodies need.
Service Engine Soon is my new mantra to stop, breathe, and check in and ask myself: Do I need to move, play, nap, nourish, or nurture? What does my body need right now?
Whatever it is you need to recharge and refresh your engine before the end of the year, go do it. And put the M&Ms down!
Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!
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