Hello friends,
Do you struggle with the advice to "just be yourself" in social settings? I did for many years!
I always felt like my internal landscape was different than what I was projecting outwards.
I spent years living with the story that good things happen to everyone one except me. That my ideas weren't worthy of being seen and taken seriously.
I didn’t know that my body was simply contracting to keep me quiet, hidden, and safe from perceived threat, because being seen felt highly unsafe from childhood trauma.
Once I learned to release tension in these three areas of my body, I learned how to stop playing small and show up as who I truly am:
Throat - My words tend to get stuck when I’m on the spot. When I feel my throat constrict, I squeeze my fist there in and out 5% at a time so I can be with the sensation, acknowledge the fear that’s showing up and watch it pass.
Chest - The main symptom of panic I feel is a throbbing sensation of high alert in my chest. When this happens, I notice a place in my body that feels neutral and give that space some attention. Then I track what happens next in sensations. Usually, I notice the sensations in the chest subside, which offers immense relief and a feeling that I have control over my body.
Mind - My go-to is disassociation when put on the spot. Sometimes I still go blank if I need to speak to a group, be on a podcast, or film content. I pause to connect back in with my body by imagining myself growing roots (thank you @ritualbody), or squeezing each part of my body and bringing my awareness to the physical sensation of the touch.
Hope this helps!
Love,
Tammy