23/03/2024
We think of stress as a head-melt kind of thing.
We try to out think it, analyse, make lists, or switch our minds off.
We might go into a fight, fright or freeze mode when stress becomes too overwhelming.
And everything is society tells us that stress needs to be managed, thought out, addressed and removed.
When in reality, stress response in the body is your body speaking to you, communicating with you, and when you can sit with and acknowledge the parts of the body affected by stress, it often softens and lessens in time.
Hear me out. When you feel anxious, depressed, frustrated, worried, angry, and any number of unpleasant feelings, they show up in the body.
Stress be positive. Like sweaty hands before you get up on stage or give a presentation. Or a racing heart and shorter breath before a race, an important phone call or a date with someone you really like.
Stress can also be negative. Shoulder and neck pain, migraines and sore eyes. Pain and tightness in joints like the hips or knees. Stress sweat too.
When we live only on our heads, we forget about our bodies but when we stop, notice and listen, we could maybe bring some kindness and understanding to the situation. And often when we do that, we can start to make healthy changes to our perception of stress, as well as how we can respond rather than habitually react to stress.
The image above was one we labelled in week 4 of my MBSR (stress reduction course). Participants spoke about where they recognized stress in their body, which can be a total game changer in understanding stress better.
How does stress show up in your body?
I'd love to know so comment below π
