We are Emotional Creatures
Over the last few weeks I had conversations with women of different ages on the topic of overload, stress and burnout.
I noticed a thread running through, connecting their stories.
All their bodies shut down from the stress their life presented over time. The shut down looked different for every woman: from major illness to burnout, to feeling depressed and anxious, to feeling numb.
When talking further with each one I noticed that they said a lot of the same.
Life demanded that they were constantly in a go/do mode. There was always more to do, more to accomplish, no time to lose.
Not one of them questioned how that was supposed to be done.
They followed that one pattern that we all know too well from how our world is run. Do, achieve, do some more.
Downtime wasn’t available or seemed like something frivolous and one more thing to add on to the day.
Most of us women feel guilt when we take time away for ourselves. Because it would be time better spent at the job, with the kids, the partner or all of them together.
But we don’t all have the same capacity to live life this way. For some of us, at one point or another our body will rebel because we don't listen to it or have forgotten how to.
A lot of us are taught early on that our emotions are too much. We are too loud, too weepy, too angry, too everything. And because we want to please and belong we start to keep everything tight within us.
Overtime we stop feeling because feeling can be overwhelming and we become numb, stressed out and tense.
The rebelling of our body, however way it manifests and as painful it can be, happens out of survival. It’s a wake up call.
While there are different methods to take care of our rebelling bodies, I wish there would be more emphasis on how to become intimate with our emotions, to learn how to listen to the sensations generated in our body, so our response doesn't have to be one of going numb or getting ill but one of discovery of the genius that our body holds.
I say, I have always been a body person. Expressing through movement has been my savior many times.
And I have forgotten about that about as many times.
I have gone numb and held my emotions so tight that at some point they spilled into a delayed rage that I could only manage with medication.
But one thing I learned over the years is that I am a deeply emotional creature and that the waves of my emotions are valid and have something to tell me if I listen.
The more I listen, the more intimate I become with the sensations that my body generates, the more present I can be to life. I can find a Yes or a No to something in the moment and not hours later.
I have learned how to take care of my body in a way that releases stress and overwhelm. I have learned how to turn to what feels good in my body, to an aliveness that comes through all my senses.
I take a bit of time everyday to listen in and move. For just one song. Just enough to sensitize to what ‘s going on.
It is something we all can learn and practice.
One song a day to increase the awareness of what is going on within us.
Pick a song that has no lyrics and that you don’t have special associations with. A good beat is helpful too. I love the music of Gabrielle Roth and The Mirrors for that purpose. Here is a link to a song I like to practice to:
https://open.spotify.com/track/7vaabYiS3jSlb4Y6C5axb4?si=cfa15f2c555441e4
Close your eyes and move your body with any emotion, sensation or thought that shows up. It doesn’t have to look pretty or be choreographed. Just feel and listen inward.
Starting to become aware of sensations and emotions in the body is like the end of winter for a tree. The first bud of a leaf breaks free. And one by one all of them do and soon the tree is in bloom.
As in nature, the body takes time to bloom. It wants to feel the slow unfolding of one leaf, then the next, then the next and so on.
With time you’ll learn to trust that your body will let you feel exactly as much as you can process.
It is a beautiful thing to let life, emotions and sensations flow through you. And like in nature there is an ebb and flow to it.
I would love to hear from you!
Whether it's you sharing what you experienced when you moved to a song, or questions or resistance you're experiencing around embodiment. I'm committed to helping you end the loop of numbing out and overtaxing your nervous system.
And as always, I'd love it if you'd share this with someone in your world that could benefit from this message and/or my offerings. Thank you!
With love and pleasure,
Theres
PS- if you want support connecting to your emotions and exploring sensations so you can have greater access to what your body is telling you, here are the ways I can help:
Attend my upcoming Non-Linear Movement Method class on
Sunday, April 24 @ 6 pm CEST (Rome/Zürich) |10 am EST (New York) | 7 am PST (Los Angeles) .
A 60 min group experience where you’ll get to move, feel, respond and relax. Hit reply to this email and let me know you’re interested and I’ll send you the details.
Work with me 1:1. Over the course of 3 months we will meet 3x per month, and I will guide and support you in developing an embodiment/ movement practice that helps you to not only regulate your overtaxed nervous system but we will also take a look at your life and how embodiment can make a difference.
It all starts with a complimentary 90 minute discovery session. Send me an email to get some more information or to book a session.