Once I started practicing this regularly I found it really improved my quality of life. So now, when I’m anxious, instead of going over and over that anxiety in my head, I just tune in and ask myself, where in my body am I feeling this feeling? Oh, it’s in my chest? Great, let me just take a few deep breaths into that area. My shoulders are up around my ears? I’ll spend two minutes stretching.
By practicing this, uncomfortable feelings become a positive reminder to reconnect with my body.
Use your body in decision-making.
Crazy idea, right? But cutting edge science about the mind-body connection shows that our bodies often know what we should do before our minds do. When we’re making a decision, at work or at home, our minds can play out endless scenarios, tracking all the pros and cons.
But again, if we just pause for a second, and ask our body how it feels about the choice we’re facing, we’ll often get a really direct answer.
Know how people talk about having a “gut feeling?” Our “guts” are actually connected to our brains through the vagus nerve, a major part of our nervous system—and they communicate with our brains, if we listen!
There’s a reason we think of “gut feelings” as reliable, because they often are.
Take micro-breaks to reconnect.
Spending a half hour or hour on dedicated physical activity is fantastic. But taking micro-breaks in our daily activities to stay connected to our bodies is just as important.
I like to set a timer on my phone, so every 45 minutes I get a reminder to stand up and stretch. I also may spend a couple minutes focusing on my breath, or even do a little yoga or take a dance break if I’ve got the space!
It’s amazing how just a couple minutes can shift me into a totally different space. Also, reconnecting with my body regularly helps me feel grounded, present and happier!
How do you stay connected to your body? Let us know in the comments!