on listening to your body and finding what feels good 💛
do you notice when you’re feeling off, anxious, dysregulated, threatened, angry, unwell?
how does distress show up in your body? where in your body do you hold tension? what are you noticing about your breath? is it shallow?
try asking yourself: right now, what do I need? what does my body need? what is my body asking for right now?
it may be difficult for you to identify right now, and that’s okay
in the past, what has brought you back to a place of connection within yourself? more simply, what helps you relax?
maybe start with that
and then notice how your body responds
how do you feel now?
the things shown in this reel often really help ground me on moments/days I feel more anxious and disconnected.. deep breaths, meditation, rest, gentle movement/stretching, snacks, cuddles with my dog and journaling
notice and make room for your feelings
and then try to move on/through them
what helps you?!
let me know 👇🏽
if you’re new to healing or just starting your mental health journey, try this ↓
1️⃣ NOTICE how you’re feeling, emotionally and physically in your body — notice how your body feels when you’re anxious, overwhelmed, sad, angry. where does your body carry stress and tension?
2️⃣ BE PRESENT with your thoughts and emotions — try scheduling time each day to PAUSE, breathe (take a few breaths) and check-in with yourself, even if it’s just a few minutes. acknowledge your feelings. identify your needs based on how you’re feeling (e.g., a nourishing meal, some movement during your next break at work, time outside in nature, a hug, watching your favorite comfort movie). & do what feels good!
3️⃣ ACCEPT and EMPATHIZE with your own feelings, without judgement — allow them to be present. remind yourself that feelings are temporary, and ebb and flow. maybe dig a little deeper and explore where this feeling came from and why it’s showing up now.
start by practicing mindfulness and building awareness
noticing what you’re feeling
and how it shows up in your body
document it somewhere each day - maybe in a journal or in your notes app
through building this skill, you’ll be able to more easily identify your needs, know how much stress you can handle, and then be able to set realistic expectations and boundaries for yourself
take the time to better understand yourself and feelings
your mind + body, and loved ones will thank you later 🫶🏽
on contacting the present moment 💭
(a quote taken from the overthinking cure by nick trenton)
in a world that constantly pulls us into the past or pushes us into the future, contacting the present is a powerful way to ground ourselves in what’s real, right now.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) teaches us that by gently focusing on the here and now, we can reduce anxiety in the mind + body, and make space for a little more peace.
✨ instead of struggling against negative and unhelpful anxious thoughts and feelings, try noticing them from a distance, without judgment. see them for what they are - anxiety showing up in your mind + body. this simple act can create a calm awareness, making it easier to reconnect with what truly matters to you, in the here and now.
your body is your anchor
try a grounding technique to help get you back to the present - some of my favorites are laying on the ground, standing outside and getting fresh air, engaging with my 5 senses, stretching my body
take a moment, breathe deeply, notice your bodily sensations and your initial thoughts and feelings, choose to create some distance from them, re-engage with life and come back to this moment 💛
re-train your brain by making a ✨glimmer album✨
HERE’S HOW ⬇️
- create a new photo album in your phone
- find a glimmer/beautiful/positive thing each day that brought you joy and take a photo or video of it
- maybe set a reminder/alarm that goes off daily at the same time if you have trouble remembering :)
- share the album with friends/family members/loved ones to help hold you accountable
- show your therapist during sessions and describe glimmers you found
glimmers (a term developed by Deb Dana) are small, positive, micro-moments that spark a feeling of ease, relaxation, safety, or connection within your body
think of it as a tiny moment of joy - things that feel like a warm hug
a feeling that you are OKAY even if it’s just for a moment, like the sound of rain, the first sip of coffee, or watching the sunset
research shows that focusing on these positive micro-moments can actually re-wire your brain, helping to shift your mindset and build resilience over time
to begin to re-shape your nervous system towards a sense of connection
because when you experience trauma, your brain naturally and more easily finds the bad
however, once you recognize a glimmer, you will naturally start to seek them more and more, forming a new habit
training your brain to focus on the good 💛
knowing what shifts you back to a sense of connection, relaxation, joy, or peace, can help you feel more in control during difficult times in your life
💖 save this to use when you need it next
💌 send this to a loved one you think could benefit from trying this!
give it a try and let me know what you notice 🫶🏽
↓ journal questions to assist you with reflecting on the past month and set new intentions for august:
🌞 save to use at a later time
• what word/color/image comes to mind when you think about july?
• what were your main sources of stress in july and how did you manage your stress? anything you’d like to adjust/change for the month of august?
• what/who drained your energy and what/who gave you energy? knowing this, what do you need more of/less of in august?
• what are things you accomplished in july that you’re proud of? what goals are you setting for yourself in august?
• what kind/level of support do you need to thrive? who is in your current support system?
• what are you looking forward to in the month of august?
🌼 what are you noticing (in your mind + body) right now?
hope this exercise is helpful to you and brings you some clarity as you start this new month 🫶🏽
wondering if you’re truly moving forward in your trauma healing journey? 🦋🌿🌈
if so, I want to validate this! it’s super normal! especially when it may not feel at times you’re making positive progress in your healing when your body is starting to feel safe enough to feel a fuller range of emotions, including more negative affect, you’re used to hiding and pushing away
here are some quiet, subtle changes that signal your progress:
🌼 connecting more deeply and genuinely to self and in relationships with others
🌼 re-engaging in hobbies and activities you once loved and that bring you a sense of peace and joy
🌼 more capacity to complete tasks you didn’t used to feel like doing (e.g., cleaning up after yourself, personal hygiene practices)
🌼 able to feel a fuller range of emotions - good, bad and more in-between
🌼 feeling calmer in situations and around people that used to really trigger or activate you
these small, yet very significant signs are worth celebrating!
keep going, keep growing 🫶🏽
six subtle ways trauma can show up ↓
💌 save this post for later & follow for more!
symptoms of trauma can look like:
- abandoning your own needs and boundaries to avoid conflict with others AKA people-pleasing
- being scared of relying on others for help, so you act super independent and do everythinggg on your own to avoid being let down
- struggling to feel seen and understood by others and often times having difficulties trusting others in general
- always DOING and MOVING, and struggling to just BE and feel safe in your own body
- often second-guessing yourself, and having trouble making decisions and trusting your intuition and gut because you’ve been let down before time and time again
- feeling not good enough and like you don’t deserve praise, success or happiness
these behaviors/patterns likely developed over time to help you get by, survive, and stay connected in your relationships with your caregivers as a child
I invite you to reflect on what present behaviors/problems/symptoms you adapted as a child, that you still engage in NOW, to help you feel safe and connected to your caregivers/parents/peers?
and
are these behaviors/patterns/symptoms useful to you now in your relationships with yourself and others? what would you like to release or let go of today?
for me, I often did things to help me fit in more with peers to avoid feeling left out, and really struggled with showing up as myself, mostly bc I didn’t know who I was until much much later in life & still learning…
hope this brings you more empathy and peace for your younger self 🫶🏽
a gentle healing reminder for you today as you start your week 🫶🏽
for you to take or leave, or maybe save for later 💛
keep it simple
don’t over complicate it
get out of your head and into your body
be present for a moment
slowwww it down
find time to breathe
notice what you’re feeling
what’s one thing that has brought you joy, peace or calm today?
savor these moments
whatever you’re going through today, I hope this is helpful to you 🤍
it’s okay to feel it all 🤍
try allowing your emotions to be present
especially those uncomfy feelings you’d so much rather avoid and push down or away when you notice yourself feeling activated or triggered
use this as an opportunity, a gateway into your heart and body, to get more curious
these feelings may feel disorganized, tangled and complicated it may take some time to process and re-organize, be patient and kind to yourself
invite them into your space without judgement
notice how they show up in your body and listen what your body is trying to tell you
move and breathe in ways that feel good to you
write down or document somewhere what you’re noticing and bring it to your next therapy session
take some time to dig a little deeper and better understand why you’re being triggered and where that comes from
hope this is helpful to you 🫶🏽
take what you need and leave the rest 💛
hope at least one of these resonate with you today 🫶🏽
ask yourself these questions the next time you find yourself stuck in an anxious, doom spiral ↓
(🌀doom spiral meaning when one negative, anxious, unhelpful thought that catalyzes into another unhelpful thought, and into another unhelpful and negative thought, resulting in a downward spiral of anxious thoughts and a dysregulated nervous system)
1️⃣ what are the thoughts i’m having? identify them and write down these thoughts in chronological order
2️⃣ do I have any evidence to support these thoughts?
3️⃣ are these thoughts based off of facts or my feelings? write down these facts (if you have any) and identify feelings (emotionally and bodily sensations) you’re currently experiencing
4️⃣ is it possible that I could be misinterpreting these thoughts?
5️⃣ if my friend called me and told me they were having these thoughts, what would my interpretation be and what would I tell them?
6️⃣ could these thoughts be an exaggeration of the truth?
7️⃣ have I had these thoughts before? when was the first time or a previous time I can remember having similar thoughts?
8️⃣ how likely is it that these thoughts come true?
9️⃣ how am I feeling right now? again, notice how your body is responding and emotions tied to these thoughts, right here, right now
breathe
reflect
feel
breathe again
and notice how you feel now
💭try to acknowledge your unhelpful and anxious thoughts
explore where they might be coming from
**if they keep coming back in patterns or themes, it’s likely they’re stemming from somewhere in your past, as a coping mechanism, during a stressful time you were needing to create a sense of safety or connection in the moment
reframe them for now, they’re not helping you!
relax your body to relax your mind
move
breathe
empathize with yourself + feelings 🫶🏽
building awareness and self-compassion within
hope this exercise is helpful to you!
🌼 follow @talkswithtonyab for more
embrace the journey within ✨
take some time to recognize and better understand all the parts of you - parts that act as protectors and younger versions of you
parts that were developed as a way to keep you safe and connected to those you cared about most as a child
your feelings deserve to be honored and given attention to
you are not a burden
by listening to your inner world with curiosity and kindness, you start to pave the way for true connection to yourself
your inner self is the calm, centered and compassionate leader you’ve been looking for
trust your process 🫶🏽 and take up more space
