Listen To Your Body

You feel upset, but you do not really know what is wrong. You may not even know whether you are anxious, depressed or something else. You have some ideas, but you cannot
quite put the puzzle pieces together. Worse yet, you do not know where to start. But the signs are there in your body; all you have to do is learn how to read them.

Begin by simply paying attention to the sensations in your body. It may help to scan your body, perhaps starting with your toes and working your way up your legs and torso to the top of your head. Go slowly, noting any sensations, such as churning in your stomach, tension in your chest, or the welling of tears in your eyes. Do not try to do anything with these sensations. Just be aware. Stay with them. If they shift or change, be aware of that too.

Then observe whether emotions arise from these sensations. If you begin to feel a particular emotion, allow for it. It may intensify or weaken. It may change into another emotion, such as anger with a friend for not returning calls softening into sadness at the loss of your friendship. Or, it may be joined by other emotions, such as the anger continuing to rage even as the weight of sadness and loneliness settles in.

You might notice that you become distracted at times. This is common. Pain is something you will naturally want to avoid. Observe the distraction, perhaps even the desire to avoid your emotions, and then choose to return to them. If they feel particularly strong, you might find it helpful to reassure yourself that you will be okay.

Another way to allow for your emotions, (without becoming overwhelmed by them), is to watch them, as an observer would. In this way, you can feel your emotions, but you also maintain some distance. If, like many people, you become distracted with self-criticism, observe that. Choose to put it aside for the moment and return your focus to your sensations and emotions.

As you work through this exercise, attend to new insights about your struggles. You might realise that you have particular emotions that you have tried to calm with overeating or drugs or shopping. Or, discover how emotionally numb or disconnected you have become from your body.

Finally, acknowledge to yourself how your effort to pay attention to your body and your emotions has deepened your self-understanding. Repeat this exercise as many times as necessary, until you sense that you have a better grasp of what’ is wrong. This new insight is a worthy accomplishment, even as it is the start of a new journey towards healing.


With thanks to Leslie Becker-Phelps Ph.D.
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/making-change/201810/not-sure-what-s-wrong-listen-your-body