When we go through something difficult, we’re supposed to feel the difficult emotions that arise. Feeling the depths of these emotions is part of being human. When we rush this, we hold onto the trauma longer than we need to.
I’ve been in therapy for the past couple of years and while talking therapy has a very important part to play in healing, our body is also incredibly intelligent. If we take the time to get in touch with the rest of our body - not just our brain - it knows what to do.
I’ve improved my shoulder pain, sleep and mental health by listening to my body. Here are 3 exercises I’ve found helpful…
Screaming
Women in particular haven’t been taught how to be angry. It’s great to get in touch with your anger and it's important to let it go. We can release anger in a healthy way by letting out a big, primal scream. To do this safely (and not scare your neighbours!) find a room that you feel safe in, grab a pillow and scream into it. Really give it all you’ve got. When you’re done, take a few full breaths and allow your nervous system to relax. This is also time to release any other emotion hiding underneath the anger. This exercise alone has helped release the weight of the world on my shoulders.
Breathing
I used to roll my eyes everytime someone told me to breathe to feel better. This changed when I decided to try a breathwork class. The practitioner held us through a breathwork technique called conscious connected breath. I honestly wasn’t sure I could do it. My breath was so shallow and it was hard work for the first 10 minutes. By the end of the class, I was in flow and all kinds of emotions were released. I highly recommend looking for an expert in your area that holds this kind of class. I felt such relief and had the best night’s sleep afterwards.
Dancing
It’s important to find joy while working through the tough emotions. Dancing has become a big part of my life recently. Something I never thought I’d say! I don’t dance professionally and this isn’t the kind of dancing I’m talking about. When was the last time you put on your favorite song and just allowed your body to move as it wants to? It’s not a performance, it’s just for you. My favourite time to do this is while cooking. I have a little dance party in my kitchen and sing. I find this really helps me release any tension I’ve been holding onto.
I hope find these techniques helpful!
Written by Liv - Head Of Content & Community at Bare Biology