Hello lovelies! I hope you have all enjoyed your summer! This summer I have realized more than ever that I have been stuck more in my head than in my body and so I decided to really start working on reconnecting with my body and working on being more in my body than in my head. This can happen to many of us throughout the day when we are stressed, overwhelmed or simply have a lot to do and a lot of think about. It can also be easier for those who have been through abuse or trauma or simply feel safer or comfortable to stay in their heads more than their bodies. It is important when it comes to your own self-love journey, your healing journey and your own overall health and wellbeing to reconnect with your body. It is also vital when it comes to being more in tune with your intuition, your heart, and your soul. While many of you are getting back to work after having time off during the summer and stress levels and busyness with be more at an all-time high, I thought it was the perfect time to talk about this topic and give you some tips and steps to get you back into your body, so that it can help with your stress levels, your mental health and get you back into the swing of things. So let’s get right into it!
1. Move your body
What I have been trying to do more and more, is to move my body. By moving your body, you are releasing any stuck energy and pent up emotions. This can be as simple as walking, boxing, yoga, dancing, or any other activity you like to do that gives you a greater sense of release, energy, or relaxation. I have found that dancing is a really amazing way to connect with your body and be more present within your body. Also, if you are sitting a lot for example, at a job, simply move around in your chair from time to time throughout the day or take breaks to walk around for a couple of minutes. These activities don’t have to be done for long periods of time; however, at least make some time for it in your day even if that’s a couple of minutes. Do some exercise at brief intervals throughout the day.
2. Take breaks and check back in with your body!
It is easy to forget when you get busy to check back in with your body but it is very important and can help you keep track of what you and your body need and if you need to you can put reminders or alarms on your phone throughout the day, so you actually remember to check in with yourself.
This will consist of checking the following:
- How you are feeling
- How is your body feeling
- Is there any part of your body tense or has pain? Identify where that pain and tension is – simply ask that part of your body where or why this pain and tension is coming from and what it needs to feel better. Your body listens to you! Once you have acknowledged the tension or pain and where it is coming from, and what it needs to feel better or what it needs you to say to feel better, simply say the following: I understand why this is coming up and how you are feeling, I acknowledge this and I am aware of the situation and I will do my best to do what I can to help you feel better and work through the feelings or situation that is coming up when I have time and space to do. Thank you for helping become aware of this and I love (if you can’t say ‘love’, you can say I like you) and accept you.
- Like the last point – Ask your body want it needs, for example: Does it need a break, a rest, food, water, movement, more care, more oxygen (like some more deep breathes), more relaxation (like a bath). Whatever it is ask your body what it needs.
- Also, if you are not feeling great, or are stressed etc. - what do you need to either help you feel better or increase your vibration. Focus on how you can release emotions you are feeling and doing things that will bring you and your body joy would be a good start.
- You can also check your pulse throughout the day to see how your body is doing, for example:
· Checking when you get up,
· Before and after you do exercise
· Before, during and after work.
· Before and after eating
You can see how your body is responding and reacting throughout the day to the things you are doing. For example, is your pulse at a faster or slower pace or more erratic? Maybe take a note of it if it changes after you eat and what would have caused that. Take some deep breaths if it is throughout your work day and see if your pulse is calmer or the same as before whatever you were doing. It is a good idea to do this whenever you are planning to check in with yourself.
3. Make time to mediate and take time to breathe!
- Meditating and taking time to breathe deeply can help you lower your stress levels, especially when it comes to the stress in your body.
- You can take time to meditate either in the morning or at night or a couple of minutes throughout your day. For those who don’t like meditating, there are a lot of different ways that you can cope with stress such as, writing, yoga, grounding yourself, being in nature, art or even guided meditations. It is really about what works for you and what you find a joy to do.
- Make time to take deep breathes as much as possible throughout the day; it is so beneficial for your mental health and physical body. Make sure you are taking time to breathe even if you either, don’t want to meditate or don’t have time. There are so many different methods to work on deep breathing but here is one you can do – Inhale for 5, hold breath for 5 and breathe out for 5 and do this 5 times, it is very easy and relaxing to do.
4. Be in the present moment and become aware of yourself, your body, and your surroundings.
- This tip can really help you get out of your head and back into your body! Being in the present moment is really about focusing more about what is going on around you and staying focused, rather than focusing on the past or the future such as thinking about a certain event or circumstance that just went past, or thinking about all the things you need to get done. In both these scenarios, you are not in the present. Focus on being present more and more. Keep bringing yourself back to the present each time you find yourself thinking again about the past or future. What has really helped me recently is to write it all down and make lists. The more I write down either, about something I am thinking about in the past, or making a to do list for the future, it has helped me clear out my mind to help me stay in the present. Now becoming aware of yourself, your body and your surroundings can really help you stay in the present moment. Like in the previous tip you can become aware of how your body is feeling, but this time it is also good to become aware of your senses and identify the following:
· What you are seeing - look around you, identify what you can see, look at your hands and feet, identify the colors and shapes around you.
· What are you smelling – what can you smell around you, like a candle, your food before and during you eat, how you smell.
· What are you hearing – are you listening to music, what music are you listening to, what sounds are going on around you, whether that be noises of cars outside, the noise of you typing or the air conditioner, for example.
· What are you touching – become aware of where you are sitting and what texture you are feeling or touching and how it makes your body feel, you can also touch your hair or your arm and see how that feels, or even give yourself a hug.
· What are you tasting - (either get something to eat to do this or, simply become aware of what you are tasting when you are eating) Eat slower and really become aware of the taste and textures while you’re eating and preferably eat without watching something, so you can be more present. You can also identify how your body is responding to the food you are having, or what is going on presently by either checking in to see how your body feels or checking your pulse like I mentioned in a previous tip.
Really start becoming more aware of your five senses and even bring your attention to them to help you become more present. You can also close your eyes to enhance the other senses when focused on touch, taste, sounds and smells.
5. Take the time to take care and nurture your body, some examples can include:
- Cleansing your body with a shower or a relaxing bath
- Getting a massage or massage yourself with some oil.
- Do some stretching.
- Have a spa day
- Do a face mask
6. Make time to ground yourself, some examples can include:
- Going out and spending time and connecting with nature
- Walking barefoot on the grass or sand.
- Hugging a tree.
- Putting your feet on the ground where you are and imagine a cord from the earth connecting from the earth all the way to the bottom of your spine
- Another way can be simply imagining going down into the earth and gathering white light energy from the earth and imagine it coming up from the earth and flowing into your feet, up through your body until the top of your head.
7. Take time away from technology!
- Nowadays we are using technology more and more and that means we are not connecting as much with our bodies. It is time to make sure you are taking the time to take breaks when using technology and check back in with yourself and your body. Stopping the use of technology a few hours before you sleep or taking time in the morning before you start your day to take some time without technology can be helpful to reconnect with your body and give your body a break from high stimulating items like phones, laptops and TVs. I know we all need to get better at this, myself included!
8. Find a place within your body that makes you feel safe that you can go back to when you need to, for example, your heart.
- Close your eyes and do a body scan of your body. Imagine going through your body from the top of your head all the way down until your feet. You can explore each area of your body while you’re going through it and see where you feel the safest. Each time you are stressed or fearful do a body scan and go back into that space. On a side note, you can also do this exercise when you are checking in with yourself and identify how each organ or areas feels within your body and explore why and where certain feelings are coming from. You can also make this into a meditation, if you like.
9. Be kind to your body!
- Be willing to say kind things about your body.
- Use powerful and positive affirmations when it comes to your body
- Say things you are grateful for about your body, you can even write a letter to your body saying what you are grateful for and love about it.
- Remind yourself of all the incredible things your body does for you - that all of us can take for granted sometimes, like that fact the you are able to read this blog, how your body digests food, the fact your mind is working, your hands, arms, feet and legs are moving, that you can breathe, all the functions your body has to perform each day helping us to live and survive, how much the brain is processing in the day and how your body helps you heal and repair every night and day just to name a few.
Our body does so much for us and I have realized we don’t take much time to really nurture it or acknowledge all the things it does for us on a daily basis. And if you think you do spend enough time being in your body and nurturing it, bravo, you then can simply be willing to take it a little bit further.
It can be so hard for people to feel good being in their body like I previously mentioned, but the tips I have given you can really help and also feel good to do. Processing feeling in your body can be hard and painful at first when you are checking in with it; however, if you allow yourself to witness, acknowledge doing all the things I have previously mentioned, then the feelings and emotions will be released and you can feel better.
Be willing to be more in your body, and start developing a better relationship with it. Your body deserves your attention, love and care.
That is it for now! I hope this has helped!
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Question of the day: Are you going to stay in your head or make time to get back into your body?
Remember you are not alone!
PS: I am genuinely grateful for every single one of you reading this and am sending unconditional love your way!
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