From overthinking to embodiment: how to feel and live fully

In our modern society, we spend so much time in our heads. Some jobs require us to be present, like when you work with your hands, or when you are a teacher, doctor or nurse. But lots of jobs revolve around thinking, using our brain to come up with solutions. So much time is spend on our phone, in online meetings or worrying about the past or future. It can be a real effort to connect with your body throughout the day.

Embodiment is the opposite of being stick in your head. It means you fully show up and experience the present moment through your body, rather than just through the mind. Embodiment is feeling deeply connected to your physical sensations, emotions, and internal states, allowing them to guide your actions and decisions.

It is through our body that we truly experience life: through our physical senses we can see, taste, touch, smell and hear all that life has to offer.

When we live mostly in our heads, rather than in our bodies, a lot of life tends to pass us by. We eat without truly tasting our food, spend our time with friends partly worrying about what happened at work, and the first days of our vacation still thinking about our day to day life.

By being present in our bodies we center ourselves in the moment and truly show up for the experiences that life gives us. Apart from that, our bodies are also great at letting us know what is truly going on: are you hungry or dehydrated? Do you need movement or rest? Do parts of your body feel tense? Being stuck in our heads means we miss the cues our bodies are sending us. By paying attention to the signs your body gives us you can give it what it needs, and improve the way you feel tremendously.

Our nervous system is constantly scanning our environment for cues of both safety and danger. When we are more present in our bodies, we become consciously aware of those cues. We will notice that, sometimes we enter a room and something feels off, while other times we feel at ease. We learn that perhaps, we feel a sense of dread when we think of work, and a sense of longing when we hear someone talk about their new opportunity, home or family life.

Conscious observation of the signals that our body gives us can, with practice, tell us a lot about our circumstances and the people we surround ourselves with.

This can be challenging, because while we have some control over our thoughts, we usually feel less control over our physical sensations. And when we start noticing them, they become hard to ignore. They might tell us we need to make changes in our lives that we are not ready to take. Or perhaps, we notice that the thing we deeply long for also causes fear.

How do you feel at the end of a work day or after meeting a friend? Do you feel energized, or tired but fulfilled? Or do you feel drained and depleted? Often times, the body already knows what the head has yet to accept.

But the good part is, we will also feel when something is just right for us. You will feel that sense of ease and comfort around the people you love spending time with. The joy and curiosity when you work on projects that truly excite you. You will know which places and people feel like home to you, like a pair of shoes that fit you perfectly.

Embodiment helps you become more attuned to your internal experiences and align your actions with your authentic feelings, rather than being driven by external pressures or the chatter of your mind.

If you find yourself stuck in your head most of the day, I would like to ask you if you can make an effort to connect with your body throughout the day.

Feel your feet on the floor while you are in a meeting, take a few breaths between completing tasks or really take the time to taste your coffee. These all may seem like small things, but they can make a real difference when done consistently. These moments take you back into the present moment and are a great way to turn your attention back to your body.

If you want to take it a step further I would like to invite you to take the time to do a body scan at a time that feels right to you. Are you feeling tense anywhere? Is there a pit in your stomach? See if you can bring your attention to that feeling without judgment or having to come up with an explanation. Are there any physical movements that help lighten the feeling? The more you get to know your body and your physical reactions, the more you can learn what helps you.

What your body needs might not always make logical sense. Sometimes, we have to get out of our rational thinking and allow the body to do what naturally feels right.

Think about how you naturally want to stretch when you feel tense, or cry when you feel sad. There is an intelligence to our bodies that our brain can´t always comprehend.

Learning to tune into your body means leaning into the trust that you know what you need. Whether that is a walk, more water or bigger changes like a better work/life balance or clearer boundaries in your relationships, the more you trust yourself the better you can take care of yourself.

Being present in the body can take some practice and it might even feel very uncomfortable at first. An important part of living a more embodied life is that you allow your feelings to come up without distraction yourdself or talking yourself out of it. You might have to move through discomfort to get to a place of knowing and understanding yourself on a deeper level.

If you would like to start this journey of embodiment under my guidance, please send me an email.