My horse started to spook my response was to fold up into myself, like a folding chair, with all the fear gripping my stomach and shutting down my brain. Holding my breath while I panicked. Nothing happened but I was a wreck emotionally and physically. This was all my mind. Causing me to feel fear through my body. I have also had the experience of just sitting up a little taller, like a high backed chair, and boy, my confidence in my mind blossoms with just a slight shift in my posture.
These are just simple examples of how intertwined our mind and our body are. The connection goes both ways and is powerful, either for fear or for confidence and courage. The great news is we can learn to play with both sides of this, the mind and the body and use that to overcome imaginary and perceived fear. Real fear is important and we need but the other two, not so much.
Here are a few things you can do to play with this and learn how to control the mind-body connection.
1. Just check in with your body and see how you are feeling. Curl your shoulders forward like you are curling up into a fetal position and feel how that changes your confidence. Then straighten your shoulders and posture and see how different that feels.
2. Think about being a knight with an amazing sword and shield to overcome all battles. How does that feel in your body? Did you sit up a tiny bit straighter?
3. Visualize breathing in light and love and exhaling anxiety and fear. Do this for 5-10 breaths and see how you feel and if it has changed from where you started.
There’s so much more to explore about the mind-body connection, and I have a free guide on 7 days to mindfulness. Click Here if you would like a copy!
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