Episode 7. THE BODY LISTENS !!!!!!

THE BODY LISTENS !!!!!!
'I am on my own healing journey and in light of this incredible event, my next podcast episode will focus on self-belief and the importance of chasing our dreams, no matter the obstacles. I want to share how this experience has reinforced the profound impact that such optimism can have on our mental and physical health.  And as you say "Lights will guide you home, and ignite your bones, and I will try to fix you." (words from COLDPLAY song FIX YOU) You have ignited a fire within me to spread my self-healing message far and wide.'

“Life is what happens when you're busy making other plans.” – John Lennon

#MultipleSclerosisSymptoms #AutoimmuneDiseaseTreatments #ChronicInflammation #Remedies #MSDiagnosis #FlareUps #MSAndExercise #InflammationAndDiet #HealingAutoimmuneDisease #InflammationAndStress #MSAndLifestyle #ChronicInflammation #PainManagement #MSAndMeditation #ImprovingAutoimmune #Recovery #Fatigue #RestorativeSleep #SleepHygiene #ChronicIllness #AutoimmuneDiet #Anti-InflammatoryFoods #EliminationDiet #GutHealth #PaleoDiet #LeakyGut #HealingDiet #HealingFoods #Supplements #StressManagement #AutoimmuneHealing #MSAndStress #AutoimmuneDiseaseAndStress #MentalHealth #MindfulnessAndHealing #MS #ChronicFatigue #Autoimmune #Inflammation #HealingAndStress #ReducingAnxiety #InflammationSuperhighway  #Love #SelfLove

Transcript

Hey! Wow, it’s been a while, hasn’t it? It feels like forever since we’ve talked. I remember back in London, reflecting on my journey to this point. After discussing my diagnosis, we talked about journaling, and then I moved on to a four-part series of topics that I believe are reflective of the environment that affects our gene expression.

I’m sure I mentioned that this environment included episodes on movement or exercise, an episode on sleep and rest, and an episode on what I called the joyful diet, which started our conversation about what we eat. We will delve deeper into that very soon. Then I recorded an episode about stress, and then things happened. I’m going to talk all about what’s happened, but right now, I want to pay my respects to the owners of this great land we live on.

I will be right back with you in a minute, once everything starts working again. Excuse me while I work.

(music)

 I would like to pay my respects to the custodians of this  country. That I am fortunate enough to call home.  This podcast is recorded in Yarraville  In Australia.  The area around Yarraville was originally home to the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung  and the Bunurong. Boon Wurrung. Peoples of the Kulin nation for more than 40,000 years.  

I would like to pay my respects. to the elders. Past. Present and emerging.  I affirmed that this is, was, and always will be. Aboriginal land.  

(music)

Well, gosh, it has been a while, as I said before, but I am back, and what a ride I’ve had! Although the topic today is about stress, I recorded the fourth episode in this series before I had to pause for some editing. 

I encountered technical difficulties and had family responsibilities that needed to take priority. Just as I was relaunching into editing, something amazing happened. While it may be difficult for you to see how this relates to health and wellness, I’m going to share what happened because, although the episode was going to be about stress, I feel this experience is the antithesis of stress and has been enormously impactful for me. 

Let me tell you the story. On Wednesday, October 23, 2024, right after my regular fortnightly choir session, I received an important live feed through the social media forum from the founders of the choir I attend, which is called Pitchface. Pitchface is a women’s choir based in Seddon in the west of Melbourne. They announced to us privately, under very strict confidentiality, that we had been invited as a choir by Coldplay to join them and their support singers to sing two songs in four shows at Melbourne's Marvel Stadium, live in front of 55,000 people.

Fourteen members of my choir—well, not my choir but the choir I attend—were on stage every night, singing with Coldplay. That was the most exhilarating experience of my life because I was fortunate enough to be one of the fourteen chosen.

When I got home that night, I wrote something down because I didn’t want to lose the energy. I might actually just read it.

Standing in that immense stadium, I felt an overwhelming wave of gratitude wash over me. The energy radiating from the audience was the most electrifying force I have ever encountered, amplifying my pride in being included to share my passion with such a massive crowd. Every heartbeat echoed with a unique blend of excitement and anticipation, each moment richer than the last. The lights illuminated my dreams in the most vivid colors imaginable. As I stepped onto that stage, the thrill was unparalleled. I could hardly believe I was part of such a spectacular event. The roar of the crowd was almost physical, each cheer ringing in my ears like a triumphant anthem. It was surreal, and I wondered how I ended up there, how I was included in this magnificent event. My heart swelled with pride.

As I connected with the audience, I felt their energy pulsating through me, dancing, moving, and singing with the band—feeling the magic of a live performance. It truly was the pinnacle of my journey.

Coldplay is an iconic British band and one of the most successful bands of the 21st century. Their live performances are legendary, known for their vibrant visuals and heartfelt connection with audiences, often featuring stunning light displays and anthemic singalongs. This was no exception. The light show was beyond words; it was next level. Their philanthropic efforts and commitment to social causes further enhance their appeal, reflecting a band that strives to inspire and uplift through both music and action. And all I could think was, HOW WAS I HERE?

In this moment, I want to take the opportunity to publicly thank Chris Martin, Jonny Buckland, Guy Berryman, and Will Champion, who created and opened up this opportunity for Pitchface Choir. I want to thank the Coldplay management team, the backing vocalists we worked closely with, the Australian touring company Live Nation, and all the backstage crew who helped make this possible. I especially appreciate the special attention given to me in helping me get on and off the stage with my wheelchair.

The rollercoaster of emotions I felt during that performance was immense; they’ve stuck with me, and I’m still floating. I’m not sure I want to come down, but I did get a taste of how intoxicating—and potentially addictive—live performances in front of such a massive crowd can be. I can’t thank everyone enough.

I also need to mention Pitchface Choir, their founders who made this potential reality come alive, and my personal carer, Carolyn Ruffles, who worked with me for days behind the scenes to ensure my entry onto that stage was as smooth as possible. To everyone I have just thanked, I want to say: I love you.

As you can see, this little start, this story and background, really isn’t specifically about health and wellness, but it is. Because I think, although I will edit the episode I’ve already recorded about stress, it’s vital for us to understand how stress negatively impacts our wellness—both physical and mental. We’re probably a little aware that stress affects our mental wellness, but I’m not sure everyone fully understands how much it impacts physical health.

What I experienced in my heart and in my soul was something I had never truly connected with before, though I’ve heard it mentioned repeatedly. It’s hard to explain, but it was a level of joy, gratitude, exhilaration—an unfathomable, exquisite, unique brilliance. It was epic and unworldly. I felt so connected, enveloped in a complete vibrational love of community. These emotions uplift you.

So

Here’s your document with corrections for spelling, punctuation, and sentence structure:

---

Being lifted up, above, into a realm of heights that you can tap into. You can talk to your body and send that love, joy, and excitement to all of your nerves and cells, allowing your body to exist in its highest vibration.

Whenever possible, this will release such positive chemicals into your body.

It’s really like a hammock for your body on a cellular level, allowing it to rest and remain in a state of positive awareness and potential. Potential—that's what I kept feeling. There was so much potential pulsing through my body. Every cell of your body talks; it listens, hears, and reacts to everything that goes through your mind, whether conscious or unconscious. It responds to the messages you give it.

So, the experience of being held and overwhelmingly loved by such an enormous crowd—no, they weren't there to see me—but that's the lesson here. It’s not about waiting for love, community, and support to come directly to you. It’s about getting out there and being involved in an environment that allows you to be swept up in these exciting moments.

Now, I’m going to step off that topic for a second. Oh, here’s my cat! Excuse me while I let her in through the window.

I’m going to shift a bit from my emotional response to what just happened to me. What happened to me occurred within eight days. After our last choir practice, I received the news about the potential for my involvement. After expressing my interest, I was informed a few days later that I had been chosen to participate.

I then had to find out the songs, figure out the costume, rehearse the songs, and go to Marvel Stadium to rehearse with the band. It was practice, practice, practice. Every day, there were new lyrics, slight tweaks, and changes in what we were singing.

We had to sign something called an NDA, which is a non-disclosure agreement. Within that, we were in a media blackout; we weren't allowed to share our joy and excitement with the world or our community. We had to remain quiet about the news, the lineup of the show, and what would happen at the event. At the same time, we were around the area for five days prior to the event, which could have potentially leaked information that would annoy or misalign the truth of the show for the band, who so kindly and willingly opened their doors to a community of women they had never met before.

We had to respect their wishes, which meant there’s pretty much very little record of my time there. You don’t get a chance to speak to the band. I was on stage for a sound check with them, but we couldn’t talk; they were so incredibly busy and focused. We had to respect everything that management asked of us. Within that, we formed our own little huddle in the green room, privy to the machinations of this enormous machine that is live touring. We were treated with so much respect; we were fed, comfortable, and given our own space. We created this wonderful little community within our choir.

I’m sharing this because all of this happened during this enormous, life-changing experience. I won’t say it was a one-off, as that closes the door to possibility, but it’s hard to explain how it came to me and how I came to be involved. The key was getting out into the community and allowing it to show me what was possible. I had already fallen in love with all the women from the choir, who were supportive, kind, and fun. Up to that point, we had performed for an audience of 500, and we were pretty stoked— that felt enormous for us. If I hadn’t decided to seek out community, I wouldn’t have been able to stand on the stage of Marvel Stadium with Coldplay. 

I need to say that again because I keep pinching myself: Coldplay—one of the largest bands of our time. They walk the walk, and everything about their setup is conscious, green, caring, and thoughtful. I’m embracing the entirety of this experience—from the light show to the man who helped me on stage with my wheelchair. The complete inclusion is a message I want to give my body so that I feel whole and complete. I need to nurture its needs, to give love back to myself to receive love—not just from friends or family, but from the warmth and wellness of a community. Whether it’s your work community, family, choir, or social group, you need to be aware of your environment and its impact on you as an individual. This awareness trickles down to your health and your capacity.

This also opens my mind to discuss something I’ve mentioned a few times before: the choices we have in life. I will keep emphasizing this, even if it puts some people out of place. After this week, I don’t know how to go backward or retract anything. My belief and lived experience is that life is about choice. I’m currently writing something in a “choose your own ending” style.

Everything in life involves choice. You take responsibility for those choices, whether good or bad. We don’t always make good choices, and that’s okay. We have to be aware that we chose the things that led to our current situation. Whether we chose to hit the snooze button one too many times, resulting in being late for work, or decided to eat a second piece of cake and feel sick, it’s all about choice. These examples may seem silly, but the reality is that it’s your choice. 

This experience showed me that by choosing to be involved in my humanity, I could find something meaningful to do despite my current physical restrictions. I chose to sing. Singing puts vibrational energy in my body and brings me great joy. By involving myself in a choir, I choose to attend rehearsals. It’s not always great weather, and sometimes I feel really tired, but in going, I’ve chosen to be committed and supportive of the bigger picture. I didn’t sit in bed every night saying, “I want to manifest being on stage with Coldplay.” 

Here’s your document with corrections for spelling, punctuation, and sentence structure:

---

I've never thought of that. What I have thought about is whether I have become unwell because of the choices I have made. I feel very comfortable, after many years of searching and digging deep, looking at myself in the mirror and saying, 

"If you brought this into your life, you can also remove it from your life." 

I am choosing, every step of the way, to make these choices. I want to allow my body the possibility to seek out resolution and healing. I thank my body every day, I look at myself in the mirror, and I do the hard work. It’s not always easy, and it doesn’t have to be expensive. After many, many years of skirting around the digging deep, I've chosen to find a mentor to help me navigate my life and skills into something that's a little bit side-by-side, parallel to the industries I’ve worked in for years. I’m trying to embrace the changes happening for me and find specific outlets for change and movement forward. 

I want to dig in and work out my trigger points to relieve any stressors, to practice my meditations and breathing, and to practice my singing. I aim to find joy in the things I can do, as well as in the things I currently cannot do. That might sound strange, but I think it's okay to compartmentalize the achievements of your life. Sure, right now I can’t climb Mount Everest on my own two feet, but I’m telling my body that I have gone up and down many mountains. I have walked miles and miles on this planet, and I’m communicating to my body, “Oh, you can do this!” Your body listens to your memories; it listens to your emotions. 

I spend a good amount of supportive self-time reflecting on the wonderful things I can do. Instead of focusing on what I can't do at the moment, I think of my life in compartments because, at different times in your life, you do different things. Maybe there was a time when you loved a style of dance that you no longer practice. Even if you don’t do it anymore, does that take away from the joy those memories bring you? You can always tap into the energy of those experiences. 

As a woman, there were times in my life when my joy stemmed from my physical capacity, like when I reached a high level in karate. I felt strong and powerful. I’ve traveled independently around the world—not enough yet, in fact! I’m already talking to my girlfriend about going to Alaska next year because my sense of adventure is so intertwined with my personality. 

I think, okay, I can’t climb that mountain at the moment; currently, that’s not a possibility for me. But I’m pretty sure going to Alaska for a month will offer plenty of adventure. I don’t know what that adventure will entail, but I won’t experience it if I don’t involve myself in the concept that, for one, it is possible. Travel comes in all shapes and sizes, and I assume that unless you're a multi-trillionaire, you probably won't get to do every single thing you've ever wanted in your life. But I’m giving it a good go, and I believe that this vibrational energy trickles back into my body, reflecting in my wellness—not just my mental wellness, but my physical wellness, too. 

As I stood side stage at one point, I believe Coldplay was singing "The Stars." There’s a beautiful line in that song: 

"Lights will guide you home."

And at night...

Here’s your document with corrections for spelling, punctuation, and sentence structure:

---

Wow. I'm getting a bit emotional. 

And that's the interesting part about this experience. 

I think it has freed me. 

Every time now, when I think of these moments, they bring me straight back to that emotional experience and the line that says, "Lights will guide you home, and ignite your bones. And I will try to fix you." 

This experience has ignited a fire within me to spread my healing message far and wide, but also within myself. 

I will tell myself over and over:

Lights. 

Energy. Vibration. 

Emotion. Whatever you choose to say, "Lights will guide me home, and ignite my bones. And I will try to fix you." 

I love my body. 

I love this community. 

I love my life. I love the incredible experience that I've just had. 

I love the fact that it is possible. I love the fact that in that moment, I now know I'm not just reading a glib cue card. I know it in my body: 

Anything is possible. 

Sorry, guys. That was my story. It was specific about one particular unique event, but like the people who own this beautiful land I live on, stories are ways of communicating. This story is my biggest form of self-communication, and I wanted you to be part of it. I wanted you to know that in a moment of pure joy, 

I totally understood what it means 

to be. 

To have that feeling that every day, in every way, my life is getting better and better. I want you to join me on this journey for as long as it takes because I will try to fix you. Thank you so much—absolutely, so, so much—for indulging me today. I will get back on track with my themes, but this was specifically not a story of stress and fear. 

This was the opposite. This was how life can show you that in so many ways, the emotional roller coaster releases chemicals in your body. 

This was a true opportunity to experience what I’ve known to be true for a long time: that anxiety, nerves, excitement, and exhilaration all release the same chemicals in your body, primarily adrenaline and cortisol. Depending on how we focus on that adrenaline and cortisol, the expectation of something unknown can create concern. 

The moment you enter a stage and people scream at you, even if it's not specifically for you, it's still the same chemical response. And it’s how you look at it. 

You could go out and live in fear the whole time. You could worry about wearing the wrong clothes. You could overly concern yourself about eating too much for dinner and not fitting into your skirt tomorrow. You could beat yourself up for not going on that walk today, which you promised yourself yesterday you would. 

Just be kind and enjoy, because this is what it is. 

This is what it’s all about: the journey, the experience, the ups, the downs, and embracing who you are. 

Guys, it has been an amazing experience, and I have truly enjoyed sharing it with you. I really need to get some sleep, and I probably need to drink more water—I can tell that my mouth is dry. Ultimately, understanding this experience may take a lot more time, and I’m going to really enjoy floating through the next week. 

Although I do have to return to the regularity of my life, I will stay connected. I’m not sure how else to say this, but this has been an INFLAMMATION SUPERHIGHWAY. You are rock stars! Thank you for traveling with me, and until next time, stay safe and rock on.

9