How's Your Body Doing? It’s time to check in...

While we’re still in the season of New Year’s resolutions and considering what we want for ourselves in 2025, I want to share a concept that’s been rumbling around my head for the past few months.

Several months back I saw Kate Northrup, an online money coach, share her philosophy of putting her body before business.

Hang on, don’t slam your computer shut.

I know a list of objections and restrictions come up.

But I’m curious, if you listed your priorities, where would your body fall on that list?

To be clear, I don't care a smidge about your weight or physique.

But I do care about your body, the sacred vessel that carries you around everyday, the thing you rely on to accomplish all other things.

I care about how strong you feel, how deeply you can breathe, the quality of freedom you experience in your body, if you feel safe, and how closely you can feel and hear the cues of your body when it’s telling you what is needed.

Your body contains your mind, your heart, your creative spark, your energies, and all the gifts you have to share with the world.

It would be both naive and wrong to think that our body doesn’t impact our leadership practice.? It’s at the very center of it.

Try this out:

• Can you feel your mid thigh?? Can you sense the bone within?
• Where is your breath right now?? In your throat?? Chest? Belly?
• Where in your body is there a negative feeling or sensation?
• How does your heart feel?
• Close your eyes and ask your body what it needs.? Wait.? Listen.

Now, notice what surprised you about this exercise.

What did your body ask you for?

• More quiet time?
• A walk?
• To close your eyes and rest them?
• Slow, deep breaths?
• Maybe a juicy stretch up toward the sky then down toward your toes?

After a series of difficult health years and focused effort on recovery, I realized how disconnected I had become from my body.? I imagined myself as a cloud, most of me floating where my head is.? Letting the skin robot below me get me from place to place.

Chronic pain will do that to you.? Make you want to escape. Stress can have the same effect.? So we numb out and disconnect.

The problem is, we lose so much of our wisdom that dwells in our physical form.? For me, I need to be in my body to access my intuition.??

Our birthright is to befriend and love our body.? And like other friendships and love, this requires time and attention, the willingness to let it be important and to be on our list of what matters most.

Last week I wrote about the “secret” to having the year you desire.? It’s just that it’s not so secret, anything we want comes to us when we take new action that aligns with our desires.

If peace or self knowledge or health or the ability to feel joy or learn how to manage people better or have better boundaries is on your list for 2025, well, it’s my opinion that you have to invite your body to the party.

Here’s a challenge, what is one way you can put your body before business?? You don’t have to commit to it forever but try it for two weeks, be faithful, and notice what happens.? If you want some moral support, respond to this email and let me know what you’re going to try - I’d be honored to cheer you on!

Before signing off, I want to acknowledge that there is so much more to say on this topic of mind and body connection.??

Things like how not coping with stress or intense emotions can disrupt physical health and how many chronic inflammatory diseases that women, especially, face are linked with people pleasing tendencies and denial of one’s own needs.? Denying ourselves on the physical or emotional level can come with high costs.? I genuinely feel in my heart that we can radically improve the experience of leadership when we become more integrated beings - allowing our voices to matter, listening to our hearts, tending to our needs, leading in alignment to our values, and resting often so that we can continue to serve.

If you’re called to this topic, here are a few resources that have informed my life and informed how I work with others.

• Transforming Trauma by Dr. Jame Gordon.? This book offers simple and easy strategies for using your body to clear stress and trauma from your system.? Many practices could be done at your desk.??
• When the Body Says No by Dr. Gabor Maté.? This book is a tough read because it reveals how disease can be the body’s way of saying “no” to the conditions, patterns, and people in our life.? If you need a swift kick in the pants to get better boundaries and allow yourself to establish practices of wellbeing, this might be useful.
• Free one hour coaching session with me.? I’m different from your typical executive coach because I coach with an integrated approach to wellbeing in leadership.? Learning how to be in our bodies and tend to them is an essential part of thriving at work.? I can help you establish simple embodiment practices and I consider it an honor to partner with you ???

Body > Business.

Your coach,

Maggie