This muscle deserves your attention, too
The human species focuses a lot on training the physical body - your abs, biceps, quads.
I'd argue that we should be training the following muscles just as much, if not more than, our abs: our muscles of self awareness, compassion, discernment and intuition.
Self awareness isn't a skill that you simply have, or don't have.
It's a muscle that you can choose to train.
As I was making my cup of coffee this morning, I could sense my anxiety rise.
I hadn't slept well the night before.
My mind was racing with all the thoughts on what I had to do…
… the email I needed to send.
… the videos I needed to edit.
… the messages I needed to respond to.
And as I looked around my kitchen, my anxiety only rose.
There was a pile of recycling that needed to be taken out. They counters weren't clean.
The mind is so quick to snowball down the side of “all the things I have to do” mountain… and before you know it you could be experiencing an existential crisis.
And then the body - at least my body, and probably yours - follows.
Does this resonate with you?
For me, anxiety feels like a tightness in my chest.
The subtle clenching of my jaw.
The antsy feeling of my hands not wanting to stay still but instead want to move faster than I possibly could.
By cultivating and strengthening my self awareness muscle regularly, I know that these are physical tell-tale signs of anxiety rising in me.
Now I could've chosen to go in either direction:
#1. To let anxiety sink its teeth into me and run with it; anxiously rushing through my ever growing to do list and only finding more stressful things to add to the list
or
#2. Use the awareness of “oh hey, anxiety wants to play with me this morning” and consciously choose to take care of it; recognizing that if I don't option #1 is going to autoplay and my mental, physical well-being would not be supported.
FYI, I chose option #2.
I poured my coffee into a travel mug and decided that I was going to go out for a walk. I sat in the park and self regulated my nervous system by planting my feet on the earth and taking slow, deep breaths.
By training our self awareness muscle we increase our emotional intelligence, and our capacity to CHOOSE how we respond (versus react).
We can recognize when strong emotions arise within us, and how our body reacts.
We can break the cycles of unconscious behaviours rooted in fear, anxiety, guilt, and shame.
We can make conscious choices to re-ground and re-centre ourselves.
We can empower ourselves to be resilient.
To take life into our own hands, knowing that we have the power to transform the world around us, and within us.
As psychiatrist Carl Jung says,
“Until you make the unconscious conscious, it will direct your life and you will call it fate. ”
Training your self awareness muscle doesn't mean you need to work on it for hours and hours a day.
It could be as simple as focusing on your breath for 1-minute to start with, and slowly over time increasing your capacity to be present with your breath.
Your mindfulness invitation this week is this:
Reflect on how you can train your self awareness muscles today. How can you make it simple? What exercises and practices make it enjoyable and FUN? and then, go do it!
Wishing you ease as flex the muscle of self awareness,
Victoria
ps. here are three ways I can help you with your self awareness:
#1. Practice breathing deeply to regulate your nervous system. I've record a 3-Part Expansive Breathing Practice you can use on Insight Timer here.
#2. Join my online studio. My foundation is rooted in mindfulness, and whether you choose a movement, meditation or writing practice, you will always be strengthening your muscles of awareness, compassion, discernment and intuition.
#3. Hire me as your coach. Together through weekly 1:1 sessions you'll learn how to not only strengthen your self awareness but also be empowered to trust yourself to be your own healer and wellness guide. Book a complimentary call with me to see if this is the right option for you.