Root & Rise Rambles #3: Listening to the Whispers Before They Become Shouts

Welcome back to another edition of Root & Rise Rambles.

If you’ve found a quiet moment to yourself this week, pop the kettle on, settle into your favourite chair and let’s spend a little time together.

This week has been a gentle reminder that our bodies are constantly communicating with us. The question is… are we listening? For many years, I would often push through tiredness, aches and pains, telling myself I’d rest “once everything was done.”

Sound familiar?

Now, I’ve learnt something very different. When my body whispers, I try to become curious. Not fearful. Not frustrated. Just curious.

“What are you trying to tell me?”

I believe there’s incredible wisdom in asking that simple question.

When Our Bodies Speak

The relationship between our physical health and our emotional wellbeing is beautifully complex. They’re rarely separate. Instead, they’re in constant conversation with one another.

You may have heard of the concept of metaphysical signs of dis-ease. Whether you view it as philosophy, personal reflection or something more spiritual, it invites us to consider whether our emotional experiences sometimes find a voice through the body.

I’ll share one of my own examples.

Whenever I experience periods of extreme stress, my dermatitis often flares up. At first, it simply felt like an annoying skin condition. But over time, I began noticing something interesting. There’s a familiar saying: “They’re getting under my skin.” How fascinating that the words we use so often mirror exactly what our bodies are experiencing. When life feels irritating emotionally, my skin often becomes irritated physically.

Of course, dermatitis has recognised medical causes and triggers, and it’s always important to seek appropriate medical advice where needed. But alongside looking after the physical symptoms, I’ve found it helpful to gently explore what might be happening emotionally too.

This week I’ve been reaching for Aloe Vera, Colloidal Silver Gel and carefully selected essential oils to soothe the itching, while also asking myself a much bigger question…

What is my body asking me to notice?

Sometimes the answer isn’t obvious straight away. Sometimes it simply reminds us to slow down.

The Seeds We Choose to Plant

One of my favourite sayings is:

“You reap what you sow.”

It’s such a simple phrase, yet I think it applies beautifully to our wellbeing. If we continually sow exhaustion… We eventually harvest burnout. If we continually sow self-criticism… We often harvest more anxiety and self-doubt. But when we begin planting small seeds of kindness towards ourselves… Rest, boundaries, movement, nourishing food, fresh air, massages, breathing, time in nature… those tiny acts begin to grow into something much bigger. Not overnight. But little by little.

I’ve found that when I invest in myself first, the ripple effect reaches everyone around me. I’m calmer. More patient. More present. My family notice it. My clients notice it. Even the dogs seem to notice it! Our energy influences the spaces we occupy. It’s a little like dropping a pebble into a still pond. The circles spread far beyond where they first landed.

This also reminds me of something taught by Abraham-Hicks. They describe our emotions as an Emotional Guidance System, suggesting that uncomfortable emotions can gently point us towards areas of our lives that feel out of alignment, while emotions such as appreciation, joy and relief often signal that we’re moving in a direction that feels more authentic to us.

Whether or not their teachings resonate with you, I think there’s something valuable in becoming aware of how we’re feeling instead of constantly trying to push those feelings away.

Looking After Me So I Can Better Look After You

This week also brought something I don’t particularly enjoy having to do. I had to cancel some client appointments due to illness and injury. Years ago, I know exactly what I would have done. I would have carried on regardless. Ignored the pain. Kept smiling. Worked through it. And almost certainly made myself much worse.

Thankfully, I’ve learnt that looking after myself isn’t letting people down. It’s actually one of the best ways I can care for my clients. If I’m encouraging you to listen to your body, then I need to be willing to do exactly the same. So this week my own wellbeing toolkit came out once again. My weekly massage. Meditation. Gentle breathing techniques. Yoga and Pilates using my gym ball. A long hot bath with Black Pepper essential oil and Epsom salts. Those simple rituals helped me slow my mind, ease aching muscles and create space for healing.

Black Pepper essential oil is one I often think deserves a little more attention. Despite its warming, spicy aroma, it can be wonderfully grounding. Traditionally it’s used to help support healthy circulation, ease muscular discomfort, encourage digestion and improve mental clarity. For me this week, it felt like exactly what my body needed.

I also added Epsom salts to my bath. Rich in magnesium sulphate, Epsom salts have long been used to soothe tired muscles, ease stiffness and calm irritated skin. After a warm soak, I could genuinely feel my shoulders soften and my body begin to let go of some of the tension it had been holding onto.

Sometimes healing doesn’t have to be complicated. Sometimes it begins with warm water, a deep breath and permission to stop. I’m pleased to say that normal service will resume next week, with Tuesday being my first treatment day. Thank you to everyone who was so understanding. Your kindness meant more than you know.

Life at Root & Rise

Our newest member of the Root & Rise family, little Ruth the Irish Terrier, is settling in beautifully. Although I suspect she thinks she’s actually a Labrador! She’s learnt to retrieve my shoes with great enthusiasm and has discovered that helping me hang the washing out really means playing tug-of-war with it before it reaches the line. She’s also eating us out of house and home thanks to a rather impressive growth spurt.

If you’d like to follow Ruth’s adventures, along with Melvin and Asha, you’ll find plenty of updates over on my Facebook and Instagram pages.

They certainly know how to make me laugh, even on the more challenging days.

This Week’s Root & Rise Reflection

As you head into the week ahead, I’d love you to notice something. Is there a phrase you say regularly that might be reflected in how your body feels? Perhaps:

“I’m carrying the weight of the world on my shoulders.”

“I can’t stomach this.”

“I’ve had enough.”

“It’s breaking my heart.”

“They’re getting under my skin.”

There’s no judgement here. Only curiosity. Sometimes, simply noticing these patterns is the very first step towards understanding ourselves more deeply. If you’d like support gently unpicking some of these connections between your thoughts, emotions and physical wellbeing, I now offer Clarity Calls every Friday, which can be booked here:

Sometimes all we need is someone to help us join the dots.

This Week’s Wellbeing Toolkit

This week, perhaps you could:

Notice what your body is trying to tell you without immediately judging it.

Take five slow, diaphragmatic breaths before reaching for your phone.

Run yourself a warm bath and allow yourself permission to truly rest.

Speak to yourself with the same kindness you would offer your best friend.

Ask yourself one simple question: “What do I need today?”

You might be surprised by the answer.

Until next week… Be gentle with yourself. Listen to the whispers. Because when we do, our bodies often don’t need to shout.