Photo by Lindsay Henwood on Unsplash
I am no stranger to stress and anxiety. Growing up, I have always been very anxious. Reading and writing have been my therapy for as long as I can remember. But that’s also where I’m in my head a lot.
I am an overthinker, and most times, I have so much going on in my head that I’m not even present in my reality. I have been disconnected from my body for so long. Although I feel things deeply and am sensitive to my surrounding environments, I never knew how to manage everything that comes up in my body.
The tenseness, sweaty palms, shallow breathing, heart palpitations, dry mouth, and tightness in the chest—these were all the symptoms I felt daily. For those who have been in survival mode for so long and never learned how to regulate their nervous system—I feel you. I understand how much it takes to develop the love and safety you need to give yourself to feel a sense of peace, calm, and trust within your body.
I have done it all. Talk therapy, coaching, reiki, EFT tapping, and hypnotherapy, just to name a few healing modalities.
All the self-work has been fundamental to my growth and who I am today. Through it all, I know myself quite well, and I enjoy my solitude. I am always learning and experimenting with new ways of living and loving myself better. And I’m incredibly proud of that.
It was only a few years ago, during the pandemic lockdown, that I started taking movement and exercising my body more seriously. I have been on and off with practicing yoga since university, but it was always a form of movement I enjoyed. Other than that, I didn’t do much. I have always wanted to be more active and did my best to join different fitness classes and even the gym, but it was never easy.
I went from barely exercising to prioritizing movement every single day and working out about 3-4 times a week.
It’s still a work in progress, and it takes a lot of discipline for me to attend my fitness classes. I’m still fighting off excuses to cancel or reschedule classes, but I am more mindful and intentional with moving my body regularly. And I know it’s because of how effective it has been in helping me manage my stress and anxiety. Even if it’s a 10-minute walk outdoors, I know I’m doing myself a favour. I always feel better every time I work out, and I know I’m taking good care of myself when I do.
Today, I am proud to say that I’m taking yoga, kickboxing, and swimming classes. Not only do I look forward to class, but I also feel so alive during and after. These activities clear my mind and shift my energy, and now I know why some people love working out and do it consistently.
I have all the tools to make me feel better. But what I’ve come to realize is that for someone who is in their head a lot, movement is the answer. Fully feeling into my body’s sensations and doing the simplest things, does wonders. When I move my body, I am connected with myself, my emotions, and what my body needs.
Through movement, I am connected to myself at a deeper level—and this is how I heal.