In college, I was constantly second-guessing myself.
I would s p i r a l during exams. Even though I spent hours studying, I still doubted myself. I still lacked confidence in my preparation. Anxiety and self-doubt made it impossible for me to trust myself. And this wasn’t just true when it came to exams – it bled into my social life too.
One piece of advice I received from a counselor back then was to trust my first instinct. “Trust your first instinct and move on,” she said.
10 years later and I feel like I’m finally embodying this advice.
Learning the language of the body takes time.
Actually listening to and respecting the body takes even longer.
Have you ever thought to yourself, “I don’t know why everyone is pissing me off” or “Why is everything making me cry?” and then three days later get your period?
Ever say “yes” to going out or doing something even though there’s a tension inside you, and afterwards you feel depleted and have a tinge of regret?
Ever think, “I knew it!” when you find out something you were feeling is in fact true, and then kick yourself for overriding your intuition?
That’s because you DID know it. The body knew it. You heard it, but you didn’t truly listen.
Body literacy is learning to read and understand the language of the body.
It is the practice of coming back to the part of yourself that already knows more than you think.
The truth is, this disconnection from the body isn’t your fault. The world taught you to disconnect from yourself, you were just a good student. You were taught to:
- Ignore hunger cues in favor of being slim.
- Push through exhaustion to get more done.
- Lift heavier, run farther, move more, eat less…even when it hurts.
The beauty industry says “fix your body”
Capitalism says “disregard your body”
The physician gives you a pill to tame your body.
Sexism and racism tell you your body is an object, dispensable, a machine.
Your mind forgets you have a body. It thinks it has all the knowledge.
We have been taught everything but to listen to it.
Body literacy is the antidote to the systemic forces that make us ignore, override and disconnect from ourselves.
What makes it hard to listen:
- Dysregulated nervous system. High anxiety and high stress are often accompanied by racing thoughts, “spiraling” and getting stuck in the mind.
- People pleasing. Saying “yes” when you want to say “no”. Attaching your worth and loveability to the things you do for others. Yeah I went there.
- Outsourcing your intuition. It’s important to do research and have support, but notice if you’re constantly doing what the influencer tells you, rather than seeking what works for your unique body.
- “Should-ing” yourself. The problem with should is that it makes us feel bad. Rather than saying, “I should do “x”” focus on how it feels when you do “x” and try instead: “I want to make time for x, because I feel amazing when I do.”
How to start listening:
🧠Give your brain time off. The brain will try and find a solution, it will come up with ways to keep you safe. If you notice your thoughts are going in circles, thank your brain for doing its job. Tell it it can rest and that you’re going to listen to your body now.
🐢Slow down. It’s easy to ignore the body if we keep moving, keep pushing, and never stop. Notice the cadence of your steps, make them a little slower. Notice the pace of your breath, smooth it out. Find moments to slow down whenever possible.
🧘Do yoga. The literal “goal” of yoga is to “calm the fluctuations of the mind.” Using breath and movement in yoga builds connection between the mind and the body – you may start noticing sensations you didn’t even know were there and finally hear the language of the body.
🥙When you’re hungry, eat. When you’re tired, rest. When you have to pee, pee! Develop a practice of listening to your body by responding (rather than waiting until you’re in pain or major discomfort) to a sensation you’re already familiar with.
If you’ve lost touch with the signals of hunger, energy, tension, pleasure and capacity, click here.
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Learning to read and understand the language of the body at Your Rhythm Within, means two things 1) learning to trust the body (a.k.a. intuition) and 2) learning the physical signs of the body and understanding what they’re telling you.
That’s why I place so much emphasis on understanding how your body experiences your menstrual cycle.
The menstrual cycle like temperature, respiration and heart rate is, vital sign that can be used as a predictor of long-term health outcomes. It can also give you insight into how you experience relationships, stress, sleep, motivation and anxiety throughout the month.
If you’ve tried the plans, the rules, the tracking, the “just be consistent” advice, and you are starting to wonder if there is a more human way to experience the energy, health and success you want.
We’ll start with your real body and your real life. Then we build support that helps you feel more connected, more confident, more body-literate, and more like yourself.
Ready to stop outsourcing your body wisdom and start building structure that actually fits?