Making Yourself Small - for a big reason!
Overwhelming Moments
Feeling momentarily overwhelmed is an experience we know well. It washes over us, making us feel temporarily separated. It cuts us off from our decision-making brain, which gives us that frozen feeling. It turns off our awareness of others, which makes us feel like the world has suddenly turned against us. It momentarily disconnects us from our center, which inflames and irritates us. Even our body is rigid and walled off. Ugh.
I know it’s a paradox, but a great strategy for breaking out is to make yourself small!
Pull yourself in tight and focus only on your senses. Look down and notice only the sights right at your feet. Notice the light and shadows, notice the colors, notice the tiny imperfections in the space right at your feet. What can you feel on your skin? Notice the slight breeze on your hand or that bit of warmth on your shoulder. Skip past the big sounds in this place and notice the soft, tiny sounds. Focus on finding them. Now what smells are in the place?
You don’t have to be big and bold and successful right now. You can just be little ol’ you. And look, you’ve got a bit of a bruise from being overwhelmed just now. What does that bruise feel like? Are you a little embarrassed? Feeling a little inadequate? Are you feeling a bit uncared for? It’s just little ol’ you, so you can look at that bruise honestly and with caring eyes. (If you find that this bruise is actually a wound, you may want to reach out to a therapist.)
Overwhelming moments temporarily separate us from ourselves and our people. And sensory meditation is a wonderful way to reconnect ourselves.
Until next time,
Laura
Want more?
Using Muscle Memory for Mental Health: Using Mindfulness as a Tool (yogatrailtalks)
Putting the Mind-Body Connection into Reverse: Getting the solar plexus chakra to work for you. (yogatrailtalks)
