Have An Embodiment Practice? Tap Into Its Power to Heal & Empower!
Are you wiser than a robot? Of course, you are! But did you know that scientists are trying to teach Embodied Intelligence to robots? One project aims to build them to “adjust their neural networks (brains) to feedback from their bodies and surroundings. “ Hmmm….To adjust your brain to feedback from your body and surroundings… that’s a great definition for an embodiment practice, which truly makes us wise!
Isn’t it ironic? Scientists are giving robots embodied intelligence; yet today’s educators are neglecting to train HUMANS in these very important life skills! But an embodiment practice — being fully aware of and understanding your body/mind/spirit connection — is key to living a fulfilling life and rising to your full potential.
How can an embodiment practice help you to succeed in life and business?
How often do you experience a disconnection between knowing what your best behavior is and not being able to make yourself act in harmony with it? It can be frustrating and demoralizing!
- You want to exercise, but you roll over and go back to sleep.
- You want to eat more healthfully, but you reach for the bag of chips.
- You want to speak with confidence, but you slump and start mumbling.
The key to removing this inner conflict and gaining greater harmony between your thoughts, emotions and actions is to develop a greater understanding of your shape somatically.
What do I mean by “your shape”?
Your shape is the totality of your experience. It’s the story you’ve collected over the years about yourself, about other people, and about the world. Making sense of your story, understanding where you come from, understanding what you believe, and how your emotions are showing up in your body, are all impacting whether or not you can step into the next phase of your life.
Without this understanding, this embodied intelligence, you’ll go through life like a character from one of James Joyce’s stories … “Mr. Duffy lived a short distance from his body.” On the other hand, an embodiment practice makes you aware of yourself from the inside out. But more than awareness, you become fully present within the internal space of the body.
What we learned in our first five to seven years of life makes certain behaviors more habitual than others. That’s when you formed your unique stress response. Maybe you learned that drawing inwardly kept you safe. Or you learned to get angry and scream to be heard. Or you learned to please others, so you didn’t face confrontation. These triggered responses follow you throughout your life, unless you mindfully retrain your mind and body to handle them differently.
Knowing isn’t enough. Real change comes when you reprogram your body/mind connection with new behaviors and become the best version of yourself. — Maria Connolly
Your new shape – the way you embody your positive mindset, the stories you’re telling yourself, your demeanor, the way you hold yourself – will help you make more compassionate and wiser choices.
When you tap into your body’s wisdom, you “turn on” your emotional intelligence and find your true self. You can, therefore, create faster and more sustainable shifts in your behavior. It will even open you up to greater opportunities, as Mark Walsh says, “A relaxed aware body-mind is the conductor of creativity” .
Understanding how to heal the mind/body connection – the embodied – somatic – whole person is powerful! The first step toward greater emotional intelligence is to daily practice mindfulness, so you’re fully present in the moment and recognize how your emotions and thoughts are affecting your body – your posture – your energy.
After studying embodied leadership at the Strozzi Institute and practicing the Feldenkrais Method®, I have some powerful tools that will teach you how to somatically connect with and learn from your body to grow and enhance your leadership presence and skills.
When you change your body shape, you can change a deep-seated behavior, which significantly improves your leadership outcomes. Act like a winner, and you’ll be a winner. Act like a leader, and you’ll be a leader.
Since most of us have been taught to spend time in our heads, accessing the vast embodied intelligence in the entire nervous system has become a dormant skill. But you can revive it through a practice of embodiment! If you’d like to learn more about shifting away from a reactionary response to a more intentional state, please schedule a complimentary 30-minute consultation with me to see if a coaching relationship is right for both of us. It’s my passion to empower women, like you, to live a vibrant life, elevate their presence, and make a difference in the world.