This Month at Better Relating...
#Theyearofselfcompassion
Catching Up
As November 2018 comes to a close, I’d like to take an assessment of this year — The Year of Self Compassion. What I find is a solid foundation of feeling more connected to myself, and still knowing this is only the beginning. In the coming months, I will participate in an online Somatic Self Compassion international learning group. In January, I will finish my Mindful Self Compassion teacher course. I am very excited to share what I learn as a go along with you.
What I know to be true is we live our most authentic lives when we are connected to our Self in calm, in compassion, and in wonder. From this place of self inquiry, we learn how to meet our own needs alongside the inevitability of stress in our daily lives. There are proven methods and tools to help us cultivate a deeper connection with ourselves — and it is up to us to build the partnerships, communities, rituals, and routines that support that connection. It is a lifetime opportunity.
Facts + Stats
Let's talk a little bit about the connection between your brain, and your body.
Interoception awareness: the ability to sense the physiological changes connected to your emotional states, and how they register in the body. Interoception is an internal sense; that 8th sense. The receptors inside our body, organs, muscles, skin and so on send their signals to our brain. Then the brain interprets the signals. Internal physiological processes (aka body senses) are related to our emotional feelings. Emotional resilience is linked to how we pay attention to our body sensations. When we can sense that something is “off balance,” we can try to correct the imbalance by taking an action that helps.
We need to reteach ourselves to listen, and learn from, what our body is telling us along with our brain. By gathering information from both our mental capacities and our body senses, we increase our abilities to adapt to difficult situations. This means feeling less stress and having more emotional resilience.
Under pressure (mental, emotional, and even physical) you can stay connected to your body and get needed information. You are grounded and embodied. Your connection with all your senses helps you to make choices that are more clearly in alignment with your authentic Self.
Embodied *SELF Leadership: Increased interoperception grants you increased information about your own needs and wants. These needs and wants are connected to the qualities of SELF: Calm, Compassion, Clarity, Confidence, Curiosity, Creativity, Connection, and Courage.
Take the Leap
Try this short guided meditation to listen to a strong part of yourself. Find out what a part of you wants of needs from a different inner perspective.
A Quick Exercise
Do a “YOU” turn (U-turn) go inside yourself and find out what you need. Listen and learn! Listen in a new way to your sensations as if this is information not just an annoyance but really important!
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