“How do I know when to listen to the signals I’m receiving from my body when my mind is telling me something completely different?”
I received the above message from a friend earlier this week. I don’t know about you, but I can certainly relate to this.
It can feel really difficult to know when to listen to and trust the signals we receive from our body, especially for those of us who for one reason of another have found it safer and more comfortable to make choices predominantly from our minds.
How many times have you felt confused when your body says one thing and your mind another?
It can feel really overwhelming to experience your body trying to tell you something whilst at the same time your mind attempts to control your feelings by offering logical explanations as to why you shouldn’t trust your body.
Often our own minds are the worst gaslighters of all, causing us to question our sanity and ignore the intuitive guidance from our body.
The mind is so effective at replaying the stories we’ve told ourselves over the years about why we should be happy and grateful. Why we should feel lucky for the opportunities we're given and satisfied with what we have because others have less.
It is this repetition that makes everything we tell ourselves feel true.
Emphasis on the word feel!
Remember, all of the stories we tell ourselves are self-constructed, even if they don’t feel like they are. They might not be original stories as they’re often iterations of what we’ve been told to believe in since we entered this world.
When we listen to these stories as truths we are essentially choosing to believe in something we have made up, over the truth that lies in our body’s wisdom.
Yet, the body doesn’t lie.
So, what was my response to my friend’s seemingly straightforward question?
I said,
“You already know the answer to your question. It is within you. You just have to ask yourself the right questions to help you access those answers.”
For some people this vague response might be frustrating and confusing. I can imagine myself saying “Why can’t she just tell me what to do?” “If she knows how to do it, why not just give me a step by step of what to do?”.
And I could have. I could have shared advice with tips and strategies. I could have shared my opinion on which direction to take. I could have attempted to solve the problem for my friend in an attempt to relieve her confusion and suffering.
That’s just not how I work. My answer to almost any question is the same.
When we seek answers from others outside of ourselves we disempower ourselves and cut ourselves off from our deep body intelligence. The natural wisdom we all have access to that can guide us towards our highest wellbeing.
What I do is help to guide you towards increasing your sensitivity to feel, hear, listen and interpret your body’s messages. I help you learn to trust in your body and your intuition.
When we come to the answers by ourselves we empower ourselves to take ownership and responsibility for our wellbeing. This is how we find peace and ease in those challenging moments.
Just to clarify, I don’t think my friend was looking to me for the answer and I didn’t leave her alone to figure it out for herself. I offered to share a number of questions that I would walk my clients through in similar scenarios.
Questions that have helped me and my clients uncover insights and answers to guide us through challenging and uncertain times. The practice below includes some of those questions.
REFLECTIVE PRACTICE
Bringing awareness to the stories we tell ourselves so we can get clear on what feels true.
THE PRACTICE
You may like to reflect on these questions by journalling or taking a moment to sit without distraction.
Have a question in mind that you want an answer to. One where you feel conflicted between what your body is feeling and your mind is telling you. Try answering the following questions.
What are you believing to be true?
Why do you believe that to be true?
How are these beliefs keeping you safe?
How are these beliefs limiting your potential to feel free?
What new belief could you create that feels easeful in your body?
The simple exercise of bringing awareness to our stories can help us determine whether or not we want to create new stories to support us to find more peace and ease.
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