Do you listen to your body? Or have you forgotten how?
When we were little girls, life was simple. We ate when we were hungry, cried when we got hurt, and slept when we were tired. We even played when we felt playful, sang when we were happy and hugged when we loved someone. We didn’t care what our bodies looked like, we didn’t care if our hair was brushed or if our clothes matched.
Somewhere along the way we stopped being this way. Suddenly we worried about the size of our thighs, and our tummies. We got told not to be a crybaby. We stopped sleeping soundly because our minds were full of worry about all the things we had to do, about all the new messages we were trying to digest. We stopped eating when we were hungry for fear of being fat.
We stopped being little girls without a care and became women who couldn’t stop caring.
Do you remember the exact moment this happened for you or was it a slow progression? Do you remember what it feels like to be that little girl without a care?
The first step to getting back to this place is to start listening to your body. The wisdom is there. Maybe it’s a small whisper right now.
Try doing a body scan to get back in touch with how your body feels. This is best done laying down so you are completely relaxed and able to tune in.
Take 3 deep breaths. As you do this body scan, visualize the body part you are scanning. Wiggle it around if that’s helpful. Or tighten and relax each area.
Start at your toes and notice how they feel, wiggle them, then move up to your feet, ankles, calves, knees, thighs. Tighten and relax your legs. Scan your pelvis and butt, lower and upper belly.
Take a deep breath and feel your ribs expand. Feel your lungs, and breasts. Feel your lower back, and up your spine as you breath. Move to your fingers, wrists, elbows, arms, and shoulders. Up your neck, to your jaw, mouth, ears, nose and eyes. How does your scalp feel, your skin. Take a deep breath and soften your eyes, your jaw and your shoulders.
Is your body stiff, achy, loose, warm, cold, hungry, full, soft. What does it feel like?
What did you notice? What does it feel like when you listen to your body?
What did your body say?
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