How to Reconnect With Your Body and Inner Guidance
How aware are you of how you really feel from moment to moment? Are you running on auto-pilot going from one activity to the next?
Many of us are so distracted in today’s modern life, that we get disconnected from our bodies.
So what does it mean to be connected with your body?
Being connected with your body means paying attention to your senses, feelings, and emotions. This awareness helps you tune into your body’s messages to create more well-being in your life.
Because we’re all so busy, tuning in to our body's messages can be a challenge.
Unfortunately, I had to learn the hard way. I’ve experienced burnout as well as chronic illness.
I had no idea that I wasn’t connected to my body. Chronic illness has taught me how to reconnect with my physical self and listen to my body’s signals.
If you feel you might be disconnected from your body, I hope this article will help you avoid making the same mistakes I made. In this post, I'll talk about the benefits of being connected with your body, signs you may be disconnected, and how to reconnect with your body (and inner guidance).
What Does It Mean to Be Connected With Your Body?
When you’re connected to your body, you are truly listening to the signals your body is giving you to help guide you in your life. Your body will alert you to what needs attention, and when you respond by taking care of those needs the result is a more balanced life and improved well-being.
Here are some benefits of connecting with your body:
Identifying and meeting your needs better
Avoiding exhaustion and burnout
Slowed-down thoughts
Improved emotional well-being
Better connection to your intuition
Feeling more present and alive
What Does Disconnection Look Like?
Most of us have been conditioned to work hard, and push through. But when you consistently fail to respond to what your body is telling you, the whispers will eventually become screams. Think exhaustion, burnout, or a health scare.
Check check check.
You may be disconnected from your body if:
You’re feeling numb
Your mind is always racing
You're feeling disconnected from your life
You're always pushing yourself
You're experiencing anxiety
You're feeling ungrounded
11 Ways to Reconnect With Your Body
There are different ways you can start to reconnect with your body. The following list includes the activities that I’ve found to be most helpful in creating more body awareness.
I recommend starting slowly by introducing only one or two activities to your daily or weekly routine. When you’re not used to being connected with your body, it can be very overwhelming at first to become aware of all the sensations and emotions you’ve been ignoring for years.
So be easy on yourself when you start to do this work. Having a therapist or coach guide you through the process can be very helpful.
1 — Do a daily body scan meditation
Doing a 5-10 minute body scan meditation can help you become more mindful of your body. Checking in with your body helps calm your mind and to pay attention to what you’re feeling. Practice noticing any sensations without judgment. Do a body scan right after you wake up, during your lunch break, or before you go to sleep.
2 — Engage with your five senses
Noticing your senses can really help you feel more present and alive. Throughout the day take moments to engage with your five senses. What do you see around you? What do you smell? What does your food taste like? How does the fabric of your clothing feel?
3 — Focus on your breath
Our breath is a fantastic way to bring you back to your body. Take a few slow breaths in and out and focus on the air entering and leaving your lungs.
4 — Go outside for a walk
Go on a short walk around the block or visit your nearest park. Getting your body moving as well as breathing in some fresh air will bring you back to yourself. Make it a habit to go outside before work, on your lunch break, or at the end of the work day. I try to get a 20-30 minute walk in every day, which helps me reset my busy mind and become more grounded.
5 — Pay attention to your feelings
Check in with your feelings during the day. Are you feeling anxious, frustrated, angry, or annoyed? Where can you feel the emotion in your body? Are there any physical sensations attached to the feeling? Follow the feeling as it moves through you without trying to analyze it. Surprisingly, the longer you stay with the feeling and accept it, the more quickly it dissipates. Being more present with your feelings will also help you recognize them better in the future.
6 — Practice 20 min of Yin Yoga
Yin Yoga is one of my favorite ways to get present in my body, but any kind of yoga will improve your body awareness. If you don't have time for a full yoga session, take a few minutes to stretch on your yoga mat. Stretching is also an effective way to reconnect with your body. Pay attention to how the different parts of your body are feeling.
7 — Take an Epsom salt bath
There's nothing more relaxing to me than taking a hot Epsom salt bath with some lavender oil. Taking a bath also gives you some quiet time to reflect, check in with your body, and recharge.
8 — Get a massage
Massage is not only great for circulation in your body but also amazing for better body awareness. I prefer deep-tissue massage because it has the added benefit of releasing tension deep in the muscles and connective tissues. If a massage is not in your budget, do some self-massage with a handheld tool or foam roller.
9 — Take breaks from work
Schedule short breaks during your work day to reconnect with your body. I like to take 5-10 minutes at the end of every hour to step away from the computer and do a quick check-in with myself. How is my body feeling? Am I thirsty? Do I need some rest? I recommend using the app Time Out for getting break reminders while you’re working.
10 — Get 7-9 hours of sleep
This one might be obvious, but it’s hard to be present with our body when we’re tired. The National Sleep Foundation guidelines advise that healthy adults need between 7 and 9 hours of sleep. So if you’re not getting that each night, it might be time to make sleep more of a priority.
11 — Reduce screen time
I know how tempting it is to binge-watch Netflix or scroll through TikTok for hours. But one of the side effects is that we become very disconnected from ourselves. Try to block off some time away from your phone or computer. I like to spend one day a week with limited to no technology. But maybe for you, it works better to have a dedicated hour a day when you’re not looking at a screen.
Final Thoughts
Over time we can start living our life on auto-pilot and get disconnected from our bodies — which can cause exhaustion and burnout.
Becoming more aware of your body’s messages can help improve your well-being and your life.
XO
Annie
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