Everyone gets sick now and then.

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We catch a cold, the flu, or something worse.

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The body tells us we need to rest.

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To stop doing what we normally do.

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Being sick is not a problem.

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It is a normal part of life.

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Of course, chronic disease is a huge challenge.

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Many people face life threatening illnesses.

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Yet if we step back and look at what the illness is trying to tell us, we can learn quite a bit.

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Getting sick is not fun.

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It is not something we actively seek out.

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Or truly desire in any way.

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However, getting sick is a message to us.

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That message can vary, but is often one about slowing down.

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About taking care of ourselves.

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And about not ignoring the body.

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When the body gets sick, it is demanding out attention.

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It is saying to us "stop ignoring me and take care of me!"

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We have no choice but to listen.

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Though how often do we dialogue with our illness?

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How often do we try to understand what it wants us to know?

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When we ignore it and just treat it like an unwelcome visitor, we miss out on a great opportunity.

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For it is an opportunity to learn something.

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Something about ourselves, our body's needs, and our attitudes towards life.

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Illness brings us into presence.

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It forces us to be in the here and now by having to deal with the consequences of not being present before.

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And it is often telling us that there is something inside of us that wants our attention.

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Perhaps there is a message in there for us.

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One we need to stop ignoring.

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A message that we can't keep going on the way we have been living.

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It is looking for our attention so we can make a change that will serve us in the long run.

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Maybe it just wants us to take a break and stop working so hard all the time.

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To slow down and just be present to what is right in front of us.

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Or it could be telling us that something we have ignored for a long time must be dealt with.

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Like changing a basic habit to have a healthier life.

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That we need to start eating healthier, exercise more, or just get more rest.

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Our health is our ultimate wealth.

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And all the money in the world will not make up for loosing our health.

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So perhaps the next time we get sick, instead of complaining about it, maybe we should listen to it?

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To hear what it wants to tell us.

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And learn a valuable lesson from it.

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Instead of judging our illness, perhaps we can look at it as a wonderful teacher?

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~ Sam Liebowitz, The Conscious Consultant

Host of The Conscious Consultant Hour