Try Out Embodied Mindfulness for Stress and Overthinking
Needless to say, life moves really fast, and it seems to get faster and more urgent all the time, despite our desire (and need) to relax and savor the moment where we can. As a result of our cultural pacing (plus managing our individual lives), we can easily become preoccupied with chronic “figuring out”—how to fix issues, how to optimize our schedules, how to solve problems quickly, anticipating future problems—and on and on. And our careers, families, and culture usually reward us for it, which only deepens the cycle. If unchecked, ruminating and strategizing can both cause and perpetuate anxiety, making it harder to enjoy the moment or get perspective on our lives.
The thing is, even though we know we want to reduce stress, overthinking behaviors can be tricky to break, much less to identify when we’re caught in it. Here’s where embodied mindfulness comes in. I say “embodied” because it emphasizes mindful awareness of our physical bodies and senses. If we’re in a safe environment, when we give attention to our bodies (as opposed to our thoughts), we naturally slow down. (We often feel resistant to doing this, but that’s a topic for another day!)
If you’re in a safe environment right now, how about taking a moment here to pause reading and take three breaths, in through the nose and out through the mouth, letting the breath be whatever texture it happens to be—smooth, deep, ragged, shallow, whatever. Then, take three intentional breaths: in through the nose, out though the mouth. Notice any differences.
Or, pause and use the next thirty seconds to take in your physical surroundings: the colors you see, the shapes of objects, the sounds in your environment, the feel of the air on your body.
These are two of many practices that can help us get out of our heads, into our bodies, and feel just a bit more grounded. If not in this moment, I hope you’ll give them a try soon!
Shirin Shoai, CA LMFT 97538
(she/her) - practicing in California(415) 663-6071
Certified IFS Therapist (Level 3) and Approved Clinical Consultant
Host of the Multiracial Mental Health podcast
Group supervisor, The Psychotherapy Institute
