When the Body Whispers: A Lesson in Self-Compassion and Slowing Down
Sometimes, the body whispers. Sometimes, it crashes like waves. Either way, I’m learning to listen—with softness, strength, and space to heal.
I went for a routine body check-up—something I hadn’t done in a while.
Nothing hurt. No obvious symptoms. I was doing “well enough”—teaching, guiding others, juggling life. But that check-up led to an unexpected diagnosis. Not life-threatening, thankfully. But serious enough to require surgery and months of healing.
It shook me.
Not because I didn’t care for my body, but because I thought I was already doing enough.
This experience cracked something open for me.
It reminded me how often we, especially as women in our 40s and beyond, dismiss the quiet signs. We explain them away—“it’s just hormones,” “just stress,” “just tiredness.”
But sometimes, those whispers are speaking louder truths.
Don’t Wait for a Shout: The Importance of Regular Check-Ins
I didn’t have major symptoms. And that’s exactly why I want to say this out loud:
Please don’t wait for something to feel wrong.
Regular check-ups, screenings, and honest conversations with our bodies are essential.
In our peri-menopausal years, many changes take place beneath the surface. Our energy shifts, our hormones dance differently, and things we once ignored can suddenly take root.
This isn’t to create fear—it’s to encourage empowered awareness.
I Thought I Was Doing Enough…
As someone who lives and teaches wellness, I’ve always believed in the power of the basics: eat well, move well, rest well. These are the pillars I’ve built my life and practice around—and I know they matter. They’ve carried me through many seasons.
But if I’m honest, I also became… a little complacent.
I thought those practices were enough, but I wasn’t tuning in as deeply as I could have. I let busyness take over. I brushed aside check-ups. I assumed that because I felt “okay,” I was doing okay.
This experience has been a wake-up call—not to abandon what I know, but to deepen it.
To take my own advice more seriously.
To take full responsibility for my body and health—not with fear, but with reverence.
Now, I’m learning to listen more closely.
To pause with curiosity, not judgement.
To meet my body not with frustration, but with a renewed sense of love and respect.
HeartSpace: A Reminder to Return Home to Yourself
This journey has reaffirmed what HeartSpace Wellness is about.
It’s not about being “perfectly well.”
It’s not about doing everything right.
It’s about creating space—internally and externally—to check in, listen, and honour where you are right now.
For women who are navigating life’s changes—be it peri-menopause, motherhood, healing, or simply the quiet ache of exhaustion—HeartSpace is a soft place to land.
It’s a space to remember that your health, your story, and your pace all matter.
A Heartfelt Invitation
If you’re reading this and you haven’t done a check-up in a while, maybe this is your nudge.
If your body has been whispering, maybe now is the time to listen.
If you feel like you’ve been doing “okay,” but something still feels off, trust yourself enough to explore that.
Here are some simple reflections you can begin with:
What is my body asking for today?
What have I been brushing aside or putting off?
What would it feel like to choose rest and nourishment without guilt?
Let this be your reminder:
You’re allowed to pause.
You’re allowed to get curious.
And you’re allowed to begin again.
With love and light,
Esther
Founder, HeartSpace Wellness
