How To Know If Your Emotions Are Affecting Your Body

In my last blog post I introduced you to the “slinky” in your body and how it can have a huge impact on how we move and feel. Today I want to highlight the MASSIVE impact our emotions can have on our ribcage and other regions of the body.

You know that when you feel sore, achy, in pain, it affects your mood. It can affect how you feel about yourself. Frustration you can’t do what you want to. Worry you aren’t getting your jobs done in the house or looking after others. Cross that this has happened to “invincible” you! Pain can clearly affect your emotions.

What few of us are tuned in to however, is how your emotions can HUGELY impact your body and how it feels and moves.

When you last felt frightened, stressed, tense, worried, anxious, sad, angry, frustrated, full of grief, can you remember how your body felt at the time? Perhaps you are feeling that way now, in which case, close your eyes, tune in to your body and pay attention.

• What is happening to your breathing? Is it shallow, are you holding your breath?
• What are your shoulders like? Up by your ears, relaxed?
• What does your jaw feel like?
• How is your tummy?
• Do you feel more rigid, tighter, or are you relaxed and floaty?

Sometimes we are so used to feeling a certain way it doesn’t register. When I was suffering from depression and anxiety I was totally oblivious to the impact my mental state was having on my body. All I felt was tension in my tummy, back, shoulders and jaw, continually. I assumed it was because I wasn’t exercising and needed to stretch more. It was only when I became aware how anxious I permanently felt and addressed this issue that my body tension just disappeared within a few breaths. I could use the physical symptoms of increasing tummy tension and change in my breathing as signs that I was getting anxious. At this point I could stop and check in with my mind and address the real problem that was causing my body symptoms…. my anxiety. I had so much more control over how my body felt and moved by changing my mindset. It was incredibly eye opening, empowering and liberating.

Emotions can be so ingrained in us that we don’t realise we are feeling them until they change or aren’t there anymore. The same is true with pain.

I didn’t know what it felt like not to be anxious. Similar to when things hurt all the time, you are so used to them it is only when they stop or reduce you realise the impact it had been having on how you moved and felt.

So, sometimes when things hurt, are sore, tight or tense, it is our brains way of trying to get our attention that we are trying to ignore something on the emotional front! I neural cry for help! Are you worried or anxious, about something? Do you want to say something but don’t have the confidence or courage to speak up? Do you feel your opinion isn’t worthy of hearing? There can be many reasons.

Sometimes addressing these emotional barriers first, mean you can take the next step to getting yourself moving and feeling great again. Never underestimate the power of your beautiful mind.

So this week, your “One Thing” to do is start truly listening to your body. Is it trying to tell you something? Stop, be still and truly listen.

 

With love,

Vic

 

originally posted 10th March 2017