I work with women who are talented and driven. They do interesting, important and good work.
But even with their impressive accomplishments, many of them still have levels of self-doubt that prevent them from fully getting their message out there.
Or plagues them with anxiety and stress.
It’s not that they’re shrinking violets. Not AT ALL.
But, what I find, is that they are much more in their head than in their body.
To be clear, I’m not talking about physical appearance.
This is about physical intelligence.
Here’s what I see happen: To coordinate everything in our lives (family, career, friendships, the list goes on..) requires a lot of mental energy.
Especially for women who don’t settle for doing the least amount possible.
They excel at the cerebral, analytical, problem-solving or creative areas of life and career but they have temporarily lost their physical awareness like understanding how to breathe or noticing how they hold their body.
Or even recognizing that the tight feeling in their chest is sending them a message.
It’s a total disconnect to their body.
And a disconnect to our body takes us out of our power both physically and mentally.
Not only do you lose the ability to feel comfortable in your own skin, to own the space you’re in, and to project a calm, strong energy but having our brain in overdrive can kick in our self-critic and inner-doubter.
It’s not necessarily because we’re inherently self-conscious or have low self- esteem.
It’s that our brains are genetically hard-wired to find the negative. It’s in our DNA to look for danger because that keeps us alive.
Danger may no longer be imminent (saber-toothed tigers aren’t at the cave door anymore) but our brain still looks for it to protect us.
Even if that perceived danger is now in the shape of failure.
That’s why you can hear a hundred compliments but focus on the one negative comment.
When we’re just up in our head without the balance of being in our body, the brain gets all the energy.
And its nattering thoughts drown out our intuition, gut feelings and physical intelligence.
To modernize a Zen saying, our mind is a great employee but a terrible boss.
Because you have thoughts but you aren’t your thoughts.
That’s why even the simplest of practices in meditation, breath work or body awareness can make the fastest shifts back into your power.
When you’re tapped into your own body, energy and intuition, you get to choose your thoughts to a more empowering tone.
Instead of annoying doubts or scattered ramblings running the show, your energy is the boss.
And that presence of mind and body is IMPORTANT.
It announces you when you walk in a room before you even say a word.
It’s how you express your values and value.
It’s how you connect to others. And that’s your power.
Originally published on www.pam-reece.com