I went to the gym today at 3 pm. Believe it or not, I have not gone to the gym in the middle of a weekday since I started my own coaching and consulting practice. Today I asked myself why not go to the gym this afternoon? I make my own schedule. So where did this crazy "rule" come from that I can't go to the gym in the middle of the day?

We each make crazy rules for ourselves. Many of my coaching clients have a rule that says that they can't take a lunch break. Actually, when we talk about it they say they can take a break for lunch; however, when push comes to shove, they don't.  Something always comes up that seems too important. They have a last minute meeting, they have a report to finish, or they need to check their email. It all feels really important at the time. But when they go home and are exhausted and perhaps irritable, they may ask themselves, "why didn't I take a break today?"

We all get caught up in our responsibilities and our to-do lists and forget to pay attention to our thoughts, our emotions, and our bodies. Later we wonder "why do I have a sore neck? Why do I have a headache?" If we tuned in a few times each day, we might make some different choices.

Case in point: during the past two months, my husband and I have had several important choices to make.  Recently, while mulling over future scenarios in my mind, I leaned over to pick some weeds from the garden.  I know better than to lean over from my waist without bending my knees.  But I did it for just a few moments. When I stood up, I instantly felt a severe backache that lasted for days.

The pain was a wake up call to be present. So, I have been giving myself frequent breaks from sitting in front of the computer. I have had sessions with body workers (massage therapist, chiropractor, and even tried a Yamuna® body rolling class) in order to get my body into balance.

I am also observing my thoughts and my emotions throughout the day. I am writing in my journal about what I am noticing and experiencing. And, when I feel overwhelmed or confused, I go for a walk or turn on music and dance, or sit in mindfulness.

All of these techniques are helping me to reduce stress. It doesn't always work, but I do feel I am able to stop and observe my mind, body and emotions more than I would have in the past. I attribute this to the mindfulness practice I have been doing the last several years. As the picture on my wall says, "When in doubt, breathe in, breathe out."