I woke up this morning feeling achy and stiff, with joint pain and a lot of tightness through my low back and side. I’m currently experiencing a lupus flare, so my body was feeling particularly tense and uncomfortable.

I wasn’t sure if I felt like attending the Lymphatic Flow Class on Insight Timer this morning. I poured myself a cup of coffee and decided to try. If I needed to take a break or stop, I could.

The practice was a little more challenging for me than usual, but in a way that felt beneficial rather than overwhelming. As I moved through the class, I could feel some of that tension beginning to release. By the end of the practice, I felt noticeably looser, with less pain and a greater sense of ease throughout my body.

The combination of mindful movement and the deeply relaxing Savasana was exactly what I needed this morning. It was a wonderful reminder that even when my body is struggling, gentle movement can help me reconnect with it and create a little more space and comfort.

But I think what stayed with me wasn’t really the class.

It was the idea of meeting myself where I am and allowing that to be enough for today.

How often do we approach ourselves with an expectation of consistency?

I should be able to do what I could do yesterday. 
I should feel the way I normally feel. 
I should be productive. 
I should paint. 
I should write. 
I should keep moving.

When sometimes the wiser response is simply:

Today is different.

Maybe I don’t need to create today.

Maybe I don’t need to finish the painting.

Maybe I don’t need to turn every quiet moment into something productive or meaningful.

Maybe I just need to sit outside with the dogs, drink my coffee, move my body in whatever way feels possible, and let the rest wait.

Not everything needs to be pushed forward.

Sometimes the work is simply waiting until you can meet it differently.

And sometimes I don’t need to create.

I need to just be.