The Art of Being Super
By Dr. Angelina Stevens
The Modern Superwoman
My mom is a superwoman. I used to call her “Supermom” but I know now that she has had superpowers her whole life. Besides recently exploding a new career as a health practitioner after teaching for 22 years, her greatest powers lie in her ability to radiate positive energy in everything that she does. Just being around her makes you feel instantly better. Ever since I have known her, she has exercised daily for at least an hour, eaten a vegetable based organic diet, been active with holistic medicine, and meditated for an hour. She is a self seeker, always looking for ways to improve her mind, body and spirit. This is not to say that she has not endured challenges. If there were not villains to overcome or distressed citizens to help, there would be no need for superpowers. This month I am honoring my personal superhero and all that she has taught me in cultivating my own Supergirl powers.
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Finding Your Superhuman Strengths
The best part of becoming a superhero, is that you get to decide what awesome powers you have. Be it awesome parenting, finishing an ironman, or dedicating your life to helping others, it is completely your choice. When that choice resonates with your life’s purpose, not only does it produce an inner state of happiness, but the world begins to conspire to bring you whatever it is you need to fulfill these superpowers. My mom was an awesome teacher, but her over-compassion for her students began to impact her health. She began volunteering in our first holistic health clinic, regained her health and found she had a gift with helping others release emotional stress and tension. Doors began opening everywhere and she is now a Reiki master as well as one of the only Eden Energy Medicine Practitioners and Teachers on the east coast. By listening to her inner voice that told her she needed to let go of her teaching career, she was able to manifest a new exciting career and is enjoying the best health of her life. Letting go of fear of instability and trusting that everything happens for the best can allow the opportunity of greatness to take over your whole life.
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Sustaining Your Superpowers
In the first comic appearance of Superwoman, Superman gives her his superhuman strength, flight, and speed through a blood transfusion. However, her powers wear off by the end of the day, and she returns back to her normal state. In order to accomplish great feats in a day, we must learn how to recharge our bodies and spirits in order to do it all again the next day. Sleeping 8-9 hours per day, as well as taking 20-60 minutes in quiet meditation, yoga practice, playing a musical instrument, sewing, or engaged in other forms of art, has been shown to balance the brain and take your body out of the fight or flight mode of stress. I used to think that a days worth was measured in all I could accomplish in 16 hours, but found I was too exhausted at the end of the day to enjoy myself. Through recognizing this pattern in myself with the help of many hours of yoga and meditation, not only am I more present in everything I do but am also happy doing absolutely nothing! If you think of one thing that made you smile today, I am willing to bet it was about someone or something special, not the number of errands you ran after work.
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Seeing Your Silver Linings
In the comic book world, Superwoman was often pitted against Wonderwoman and Batwoman even though they were all in the business of saving the world. As athletes, we often battle ourselves to constantly improve our performance and our fellow athlete to prove our athletic awesomeness. We all know this to be true of our undying collegiate basketball rivalry as well as the emerging ultra marathon scene, and popularity of iron distance triathlons. When we do not perform our best, or suffer a physical setback like an injury or illness, it may not be what you immediately want, but the silver lining is always revealed with time. There is a point in my 90 minute hot yoga class where amidst the dripping sweat in furnace like conditions, I want to scream and run out of the room. Inevitably, within a few moments of resting and breathing, the suffering passes, and I am ready to carry on with renewed energy and motivation. If we are all willing to keep calm and carry on, these negative states will soon pass, and with it comes the self confidence of having endured something that you never have before. Whether you strive to be a Superhero or want to live more simply and peacefully, a healthy and fulfilling life is something that we all could sustain permanently.
Yours In SuperHealth, Dr. Angelina Stevens
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Dr. Angelina V. Stevens, D.C., owns holistic chiropractic and acupuncture centers in Durham and Chapel Hill. She is passionate about healing the body naturally without the use of drugs or surgery and by finding the true causes of pain and illness. As a triathlete, Dr. Angelina has completed in world-class events and has represented the U.S. as a triathlete on Team USA 2001. She currently competes as an elite cyclo-cross racer and can be reached at www.stevenswellness.com or e-mail at drangelina@stevenswellness.com
