Change is everywhere—our shifting climate, the four seasons here in New England, our bodies as we age, our relationships. Change is inevitable. It has been said that the secret to living a good life is to accept change and adjust to it. Resisting change is like swimming against the tide—a lot of effort for very little outcome. And ultimately, change is good.
Sometimes we are forced into change. Perhaps a test revealed a result that pushes us to a new way of living, or that once easy-to-climb hill now makes us breathe too heavily. Sometimes we just know deep inside that a shift is needed. Sigmund Freud said that pain is the body’s way of telling us something needs to change. We should all pay close attention to that.
Committing to Change
COVID has forced many of us to look more deeply at ourselves and our habits. I, for one, have become aware that I own too much stuff. I am drowning in clothes, shoes, books, and cluttered closets with various once-loved, now long-forgotten, objects. I promised myself last winter that I would lighten the load—it never happened. Now I am making that promise to myself again—this winter will see a change. I want to lighten my load; this stuff of life is pulling me down. There are so few things in life that I feel I have control over, but this is one of those things I can control. I am capable of change only if I am committed to being open to new results.
In my work as a Rolfer, I help to provoke change in others—the kind of change that takes people from disorganization to order; from painful to pain free. It is the kind of change that people desire, the kind of change that alters lives. After forty years, that drive to help people own their ability to change is the light that keeps me going. Day after day, year after year, I help people realize their potential, but more importantly, they need to see the value in it for themselves. I am a committed partner, but the shift lies within each person. No one can make it happen for someone else.
Embracing the Change
I always tell myself that change is good. It is my mantra when there is too much going on in my own life. When dear friends moved away in June, I tried to tell myself it was a wonderful opportunity for them and knew we would stay in touch. When my beloved dog, Boscoboy, passed very suddenly this summer, I was thankful he didn’t suffer through possible surgeries and declining health. One of my gifts is that I can always see the bright side of things, but one thing I won’t tolerate is physical pain that I know I can address. When I fell down the stairs a few years ago and needed surgery to repair two tendons in my shoulder, I was determined to make a full recovery. I created the right team of trusted professionals who were in alignment with my goals—to recover fully and re-emerge better than ever. And we did it!
That’s the same approach and attitude I take with my clients. Everyone has their own history and symptomology. We Rolfers see the body as an aggregate of blocks that are stacked unevenly—some are twisted, some are turned, some are too far backward or too far forward. This all creates a structural instability that makes it almost impossible to find balance and order. It does not allow for efficient movement; rather, it creates strain patterns and stress to the entire structure of the body. The knee pain is related to the hip pain, which is related to the shoulder pain, which is related to those headaches. Everything within the body is in relationship to something else.
Living Your Best Life
The privilege of my job as a Rolfer is to help clients find their better selves through organization of their structure. To move more easily, to be pain-free, and to live more fully are achievable goals for many people who seek out Rolfing. You can’t separate the body and the mind. When we feel better, we live better.
So this winter, when we are shut inside more, think of me cleaning out my closets, drawers, and other spaces that have collected all that stuff. I feel better when I am organized; I feel lighter and freer. We can’t wait for life to slow down a bit—carve out the time to produce some great results and change it up. Be the change for yourself! Dive into it. Change something that is in your way, something that stops you. Commit to shifting your attitude, your position, or yourself in some way. Change is good! Change is welcome! Change is powerful! Live your best life.
Sharon Sklar is her 40th year of private practice as a Certified Advanced Rolfer®. State licensed and the only Rolfer in central Connecticut, Sharon works with direct manipulation of the soft tissue of the body and movement re-education over a ten-session series to help her clients feel freer, get more balanced and reduce chronic pain. Great for athletes, children and adults recovering from injuries, stress or the traumas of life.
Call 860.561.4337 for more information. SharonSklarRolfing.com.