What Is Your Body Trying to Tell You?

If I asked you right now what you're thinking about, you'd probably have an answer pretty quickly.

But what if I asked:

What are you noticing in your body right now?

That question can be surprisingly difficult.

Some people immediately notice ten things.

Others say, “I don't feel anything.”

Neither response is wrong.

We live in a culture that asks us to spend an enormous amount of time in our heads. We're thinking,

planning, analyzing, working, scrolling and moving from one thing to another.

Meanwhile, the body is having an experience too.

A body scan is one simple way of beginning to reconnect with it.

You don't need to make anything happen.

Start at the top of your head and slowly bring your awareness downward.

What do you notice?

Maybe there's tension.

Warmth.

Coolness.

Pressure.

Tingling.

Heaviness.

Lightness.

An image.

A color.

An emotion.

An urge to move.

Maybe one area feels incredibly obvious while another feels completely blank.

And yes—you might notice absolutely nothing.

If that's your experience, start there.

What does “nothing” feel like?

Is it numb? Quiet? Empty? Neutral? Difficult to locate?

Can you notice the feeling of your clothing against your skin?

Your feet touching the floor?

The movement created by your breath?

We're not searching for the “correct” sensation.

We're practicing noticing.

That's an important distinction.

Somatic awareness isn't about becoming hyperfocused on every sensation or assigning meaning to everything your body does.

It's about rebuilding communication.

The more familiar you become with your own baseline, the easier it can become to recognize when something changes.

You begin noticing the clenched jaw.

The breath you've been holding.

The shoulders creeping upward.

But you may also notice softness.

Warmth.

Energy.

Excitement.

Expansion.

Comfort.

Your body isn't only a place where stress lives.

It's also where you experience pleasure, connection, curiosity, intuition and ease.

So give yourself a few minutes today without trying to fix anything.

Start at your head.

Slowly move downward.

And simply ask:

What do I notice right now?

Whatever you find is enough.

Continue Reading: What Are You Choosing Without Realizing It?