I listen to my body.

I honor and appreciate my body. This hasn’t always been the case. I can easily spend hours musing on thoughts and feelings. I have to make a deliberate effort to get out of my head and care for my body. 

I learned to prioritize my body upon meeting artist Josefina Báez . I met Báez in “Performing Latinidad”, a class led by Harvard Professor Lorgia García Peña. Towards the end of the semester, Báez visited our class. She shared parts of her artistic journey. Our final projects were coming up and she kindly guided us in a few exercises, inspiring us to approach our projects in nuanced ways. After explaining her method of performance autology, she encouraged us to feel our projects in our bodies—to stretch and move alongside words we had been reading all semester. Our reaction must have amused her. We stood stiffly in a circle, exchanging quick “are you also confused?” glances with one another. She smiled. When it became clear that we had no idea what to do with our bodies, we asked her a lot of questions: how exactly? like, step by step, can you tell us what to do?

I was surprised at my own resistance to turn to my body as a source of knowledge. I consider myself an artist but it wasn’t until meeting Báez that I realized much of my artistry lacks physicality. What had led me to see my body as a shell to my being rather than a part of my being? Since then, I have become more attentive of my body and feel happier.

I give my body care and attention by going out of my way to do three things every day:

1. I stretch

2. I hydrate

3. I get fresh air

It is far easier (and essential) for me to remember to eat and rest than to remember to stretch, hydrate, and get fresh air. One activity that encourages me to do all three of these things is a long walk. Walking alleviates my stress. I walk mindfully; I listen to the world around me and notice small details in my surroundings. Long walks remind me that there is a whole, beautiful world outside of academic expectations. 

As human beings, we have developed amazing survival strategies. I believe that, in some ways, our bodies know us better than we know ourselves. When we are weighed down by stress and anxiety, for instance, we tend to sleep more/lose sleep, eat less/eat a lot more, and/or exhibit symptoms of fear. We can feel when something isn’t right. To care for my body and preserve my “sunshine", I do my best to avoid overthinking or overworking myself to the point of exhaustion. I prioritize sleep and honor my body’s need for rest even when deadlines are eminent. 

Take some time each day to thank your body for sustaining you. Stretch, eat well, stay hydrated, exercise, and get enough rest. When stress kicks in, take deep breaths and give yourself the time and space you need to feel better. The more in tune you are with your body, the more likely you are to notice when something is amiss. And, if something is not as it should be, don’t put off going to a doctor, a dentist, a psychiatrist, etc. Fight against any guilt that may surface should you need medication, other treatment, or recovery time. Your health and wellbeing come first. How are you going to get a PhD if you feel like you’re falling apart? Listen to your body. As I learned from Báez, I trust you’ll find joy in giving your body care, attention, and plenty of love. 

Con cariño,

Jenesis