Listening to Your Body
It is important to listen to your body and pay attention to its signals in order to better understand and care for your physical and emotional needs. This can be especially helpful in the process of "reparenting" your inner child, which refers to the process of healing and addressing unresolved emotional issues from childhood.
When we reparent our inner child, we can learn to recognize and meet our own emotional needs in a healthy and supportive way. We become the safe, attentive and nurturing adult we needed when we were little. This is deeply healing and helps to restore your relationship to yourself and your ability to believe and value what you are feeling physically and emotionally.
It can be frightening to “tune into” your body if you have a history of trauma, chronic illness, chronic pain or disordered eating. As you learn the value of “tuning in” consider practicing in small and safe ways. (Noticing when you are hungry, noticing the way it feels when you are wrapped up in a cozy blanket, noticing how it feels to snuggle with a beloved pet). Doing so restores your ability to lean in and listen to your body and strengthens your ability trust your gut…to be able to connect to your body without waging war against it.
Another way to practice reparenting and listening to your body is through mindfulness and self-awareness techniques. These can help you become more attuned to your physical and emotional sensations and needs, and allow you to respond to them in a compassionate and caring way. TIP: Find a younger picture of you and place it somewhere within view or save it on your phone. When you are struggling to offer yourself compassion or to listen to your body, look at the photo. Remember that little you is asking you to “tune in” and that they are in need of compassion from you. To listen means that it matters. Show up for yourself. Listen compassionately like you would a young child.
This work can involve learning to identify and express our feelings, setting boundaries, finding ways to care for ourselves and the development healthy coping mechanisms for managing stress and challenges.
In addition to improving emotional well-being, listening to your body and practicing self-care can also have positive effects on your nervous system. Taking care of your physical and emotional needs can help to regulate your nervous system and reduce stress, which can have a calming and balancing effect on your body, mind and spirit.
