There’s an expression: You don’t know what you don’t know. Let me change that a bit: You don’t know what you don’t feel. This perfectly explains why many of us feel stuck in our bodies, desperately wanting relief and to move freely, but somehow can’t.
We can’t move what we don’t feel.
This brings me to today’s topic, which, I apologize in advance, might be answering questions many of us don’t ask. I’m suggesting we take a leap of faith based on some empirical evidence. Often, we learn the hard way. We may get warning signals, but we ignore them or don’t feel their effects. We keep repeating the same mistakes, not recognizing the signals—even though they might seem obvious to others. The discomfort can be overwhelming at times, but somehow we continue with the same routine.
I once read that we use only a small percentage of our brain’s intellectual capacity. I imagine the same applies to our ability to feel and move our physical bodies. This ability is rooted in our nervous system, which connects our brain to our muscles and movement. The body has an incredible capacity to adapt, even if it adapts in ways that hurt us or aren’t helpful. Our bodies warn us through discomfort or chronic pain, but we often interpret these signals in convoluted ways.
Three Pieces of the Puzzle
Interpreting feedback from our bodies can be very personal. No one likes pain, and no one likes to stop what they’re doing. Change is hard, yet we often continue behaviors that harm us rather than change them. The solutions are usually simple, but they often face resistance.
When dealing with chronic pain, the solution may seem complicated, but it could be much simpler than we think. People often say, “I have a bigger problem,” or “My doctor says I can’t do that anymore,” and the excuses continue. I’m not suggesting you ignore others, but rather listen to yourself as well.
The answer might be simpler than we think—perhaps it’s about becoming more educated about ourselves and our bodies. Emotions play a significant role too.
There are three key components to consider:
- What we do in our everyday lives that may be contributing to stress or chronic pain.
- The feedback our bodies give us.
- How we respond to that feedback.
Feeling Is One Thing, Responding Is Another
How we respond is crucial. If we continue unhealthy patterns, we know it won’t help. Our world often repeats its mistakes across generations, sometimes doubling down on them and adding hysteria. This can lead to a misguided belief about our bodies, which is why pain becomes chronic. I know this from personal experience with chronic pain.
Our bodies are not emotional—we are.
Fear of change can lead us to create a narrative that isn’t based on reality, making us hold on to things that ultimately harm us. If we keep doing this, we’ll continue to experience pain. But the solutions are often simpler than we think.
For example, after a workout, you might simply need to rest on the floor—something we practice in the Miracle Ball Method. It’s amazing how your body can recover if you just let it. Or, if you sit for long periods, try standing up more often. Use your own body weight to lengthen the spine, improve breathing, and relieve pressure on your lower back. You don’t need a complex exercise program—sometimes small, specific changes are enough to make a big difference.
Rather than overcomplicating things—like rebuilding an entire house because the front door isn’t working—sometimes the solution is simple. If a door won’t close and cold air is coming in, fix the small issue. Similarly, the solutions for your body are often just as simple—small, specific changes that take only five minutes.
We may not like doing things that challenge us, but these small adjustments can make a huge difference.
Our established narratives, but that’s often the best sign that it’s time to try something new.