What energy and emotions do you feel in your body when you are stressed?
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This exercise is written to build on what you learned in the Recognizing Physical and Mental Patterns of Stress activity, but can be done as a stand-alone activity.
Safety note: Make sure you stay within your windows of tolerance and if you find yourself getting overly upset or activated, take a break to ground and breath and come back only when ready.
Using a specific example of a stressful or activating situation, reflect on the following questions, making note of your answers. If you are having a hard time identifying your emotions and sensations, just continue to breathe and do your best to note what you are aware of.
Now, bring your awareness to your breath. Notice how you are currently breathing. See if you can take a couple of deep breaths, inhaling through your nose and exhaling through your mouth.
This may be enough to bring you back to center. If not, continue to take some deep slow breaths into your lower belly as you ask yourself, “Do these sensations want to move or release? What do I need to help these sensations and emotions move through my body and bring me back into a more centered and calm state?”
Listen deeply - it may come as a feeling, an image, a word, or an impulse. Whatever it is, see if you can follow it as long as it isn’t destructive. If you are working with anger and the impulse seems harmful, see if you can jump, shake, yell, or kick in the air to dissipate the emotion first and then ask the question again.
Through it all, continue to breathe deeply. When you feel some release, you can end the exercise.
Check out this personal Spotify playlist, specially created for this activity by Jules.
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