habits can be good, too
your habits become your anatomy.
what a powerful line. read it again, and again.
your habits become your anatomy.
but what does that really mean?
well! we’re living out our habits 24/7, yes, even in our sleep… the way we position ourselves in bed, an arm over head, on your side… & we know when we sleep “wrong” we get a kink in our neck. these varied positions or “habits” have pros / cons for the functionality and stability of anatomical structures that we tangibly recognize once we get moving. so, we get out of bed, maybe some of us drink our lemon water right away, maybe some of us coffee. again, these habits alter our physiological responses in the body, affecting our anatomy. perhaps at work you sit cross legged at your desk and crane your neck to the right to see your computer. these repetitive habits become your anatomy.
in the massage world, we call it ✨perpetuating factors✨
see where I’m going with this? every thing we do, from how we move, to what we eat, to how we think, forms the habits that then create our postural patterns & influence anatomy down to the most intricate details of physiology. these factors can perpetuate pain & discomfort, or perpetuate wellness & vitality. it is up to us.
so how can this knowing help us to create more sustainable habits for our wellbeing?
I think this truth can open us up to more self awareness & realizing the role we play in our own health— and that is huge! often a step overlooked by western med that keeps us feeling disempowered and feeling out of control. but even if you are not well right now, this simple knowing of the fact your habits create your anatomy, can shift how you think about your interactions with the day to day motions you go through. then that can lead to many positive changes in how you are interacting with your habits. if you are working with a massage therapist, they can help you further to recognize and correct perpetuating factors that are giving to pain. each massage is intended to help the body remember the path of least resistance so that it can move with more ease and readiness.
take this little nugget to inspire you to get more curious about your habits & give you a greater insight into healing.
take good care, friends ☀️
