Blog Post 38: Staying Connected to Our Bodies

For Type C’ers, suppressing emotions is a major coping strategy. We hate to feel guilt, disappointment, jealousy, fear, and anger, so we push them far away. We also spend a lot of time worrying about what other people think, worrying about upsetting others, and trying to fix other people’s problems. 

Being in our minds so much can leave us disconnected from our bodies. We have a low level of awareness of what is actually going on inside. The stress and tension that builds from worry and suppressing emotions can show up in many physical forms: stomach issues, headaches, fatigue, or back/neck pain to name a few.  

Any form of movement is the key to re-connect us to our bodies. Mindful walking, yoga, stretching, or other forms of exercise can help us stop multitasking, get out of our heads, and notice what is happening in our bodies. The sooner we notice this, the sooner we can start taking care of ourselves. Our bodies give us a lot of information about our mental and physical health that we often ignore. Breathing exercises can also be helpful in the midst of pressure situations. Taking three slow breaths from the abdomen instead of shallow breathing from the chest has been shown to be effective in managing stress. But more is better if you have the time.   

We will likely feel guilt that we’re making the time for movement - not using the time to do things for others to make them happy -  and we may have to sit with this guilt. We have to remind ourselves that making movement part of our non-negotiable self-care routine will ultimately result in better health, happiness, and energy. It benefits not only us but those around us.