Honor the Whisper

It's July, typically the hottest month of the year. One would think this is the season to feel energized, motivated, and full of momentum. But if I'm honest, that's not what I'm experiencing this year.

Instead, there is a sense of slowing down.

It's difficult to describe, but it feels as though something is shifting beneath the surface. Almost as if life is quietly preparing for what's next, and instead of rushing toward it, I'm being asked to wait. This is not how I typically roll! 

For someone who naturally likes to create, build, and move forward, that isn't always comfortable. Instead of fighting the feeling, I've decided to honor it. 

This morning I headed out for my usual run on one of my familiar trails. It was beautiful, and when I finished, I noticed something unexpected. I didn't feel like checking my phone or jumping into the next task. I felt a strong pull to simply lie down in the grass.

So I did.

I stretched out on the cool earth, looked up at the blue sky, and let myself feel the ground beneath me. I had meetings waiting, emails to answer, and a full day ahead. The old version of me would have ignored that quiet nudge and pushed on. But today, I listened.

It wasn't laziness or procrastination, like my mind was trying desperately to tell me; it was my body asking for something it needed.

I think many of us have become so accustomed to pushing through that we no longer recognize the subtle messages life is sending us. We override our bodies with obligation. We judge ourselves for slowing down. We convince ourselves that if we're not producing, we're somehow falling behind, and so we keep going until life speaks a little louder.

Sometimes it shows up as exhaustion or perhaps anxiety. If we don't honor and listen, it can get louder and turn into illness, burnout, or simply a feeling that we've lost our spark.

I've come to realize that our bodies are incredibly wise. They are constantly communicating with us, gently inviting us back into balance. The question isn't whether they're speaking. The question is whether we're listening.

In Energy Leadership, we often talk about honoring our energy rather than forcing it. There are seasons to create, seasons to climb, seasons to rest, and seasons to simply be still.

Nature doesn't apologize for winter, and trees don't criticize themselves for dropping their leaves. They trust the season they're in. Perhaps we can learn to do the same.

So today, I want to encourage us to pause by slowing down for a few moments and taking a breath.

Listen for the whisper inside that is so easily drowned out by the noise of life, and ask yourself:

What is my body trying to tell me today?

And perhaps even more importantly...

Am I willing to honor it?

With presence,