“To be in the present moment means to be in your body”
The fastest way to live in the present moment is to get out of the mind and into our physical bodies.
Why Most People Struggle to Feel
But most people struggle with this.
Why?
Is it out of fear?
Probably.
Because most people don’t allow themselves to truly feel.
They’re fearful of what they might discover.
And, despite the societal progress we’ve made, our emotions and feelings are still seen as a sign of weakness, especially for us men!
But here’s the thing…
The Colour of Life
Our emotions and feelings often give life colour.
Imagine life without them. That would be pretty bleak.
Our range of emotions, the unpleasant and pleasant ones, and our ability to feel are what make us human.
Despite the challenges they bring and the skills we need to learn to navigate them healthily (such as emotional intelligence, awareness, and regulation), I believe living in a world without emotions would not be worthwhile at all.
Sure, it’s easy to say and write this when one is calm, feeling good, thoughtful, and inspired.
But what happens when anger, frustration, worry, and anxiety come around?!
It’s in these moments that it’s worth remembering that our full range of emotions and how we feel is what makes us human and gives colour to our world!
Emotions as Feedback
It’s also worth remembering that our emotions and feelings serve as valuable feedback tools to learn and grow from.
For example, someone cuts us off on the road, and we feel angry. Why? What was it about that situation that triggered us to feel this way?
When we begin to become curious about our emotions, what we feel, and why we feel the way we do, we start to understand ourselves better. Over time, helps us relate better to others and the world around us, rather than being an emotional mess that reacts to everything.
This is a key skill that most of us need to learn and are continually developing:
The skill of learning to feel feelings without reacting or casting judgment.
It’s hard.
And, I’m no expert at this.
It takes time, after time, after time, to even slightly move the needle, and it requires constant reminders.
Research on this backs this up. Research on interoceptive awareness has shown that the ability to tune into and accurately read our body’s signals is foundational to emotional regulation.
Practice the Practice
Simply put, it’s a practice.
And, we have to practice the practice if we want to get better at it. It’s the same for anything we want to improve at.
The issue is that most people don’t put the reps in because they are afraid of feeling feelings.
They fear dropping into their physical body, and truly being in the present moment and feeling!
So what’s the solution?
To just do it…
I think so.
There’s no quick fix or hack here.
We just have to do it.
Tools to Drop Into the Body
And there are a plethora of tools that can help us get out of the mind and drop into our physical bodies, helping us to feel.
Some are well known, such as meditation, Qi Gong, breath work, etc.
It’s up to us to pick our tool of choice, start small, even if it’s with 5 minutes per day, and track our progress along the way.
Our emotions, feelings, and the entire way we’re weird didn’t come with an instruction manual. It’s up to us to figure it out for ourselves.
Where Life Is Really Lived
But what I do know is that the more we seek avoidance, the stronger it grows, and most of us are avoiding our emotions and how we feel.
And despite how uncomfortable it might be, the present moment is where we learn to truly feel feelings and where life is really lived!
Don’t fight it, accept it, and live more there.
The Key Takeaways on Emotions and Presence
- Fear of Feeling: Many people struggle to connect with their bodies because they fear what their emotions might reveal, a fear often reinforced by societal views that see feelings as a weakness.
- Emotions Give Life Colour: Your full range of emotions, both the pleasant and the difficult ones, is what makes you human and adds depth and meaning to your experiences.
- Feelings as Feedback: You can use your emotions as valuable tools for self-discovery. By getting curious about why you feel a certain way, you can understand yourself better and react less to the world around you.
- Consistent Practice is Key: Learning to feel your emotions without judgment is a skill that requires regular practice. Like any skill, you have to put in the repetitions to improve.
- Tools for Embodiment: You can use practices like meditation, breathwork, or Qi Gong to help you move from your mind into your body, even starting with just five minutes a day.
- Live in the Present: Avoiding your feelings only makes them stronger. True living happens when you accept your emotions and allow yourself to be present with them in your body.
FAQs for Out of Your Head, Into Your Body
Why do I struggle to connect with my feelings?
Many people find it difficult to connect with their feelings out of fear of what they might discover. Society has also, for a long time, viewed expressing emotions, especially for men, as a sign of weakness, which can make you want to suppress them.
How can negative emotions be a good thing?
Even unpleasant emotions like anger or anxiety are essential. They provide valuable feedback about your experiences and triggers. By becoming curious about them, you can learn about yourself, which is a key part of personal growth.
What does it mean to ‘get out of your head and into your body’?
It means shifting your focus from constant thinking, worrying, and analysing to paying attention to the physical sensations in your body. This practice helps you connect with the present moment and feel your emotions as they are, without judgment.
What are some simple ways to start feeling my emotions more?
You can start with simple, consistent practices. Dedicate even five minutes a day to activities like meditation, focused breathing exercises, or gentle movements like Qi Gong. The goal is to pick a tool that works for you and practice it regularly.
Is it bad to avoid uncomfortable feelings?
While it’s a natural instinct, consistently avoiding uncomfortable feelings can make them more powerful over time. The path to growth involves learning to accept and sit with these feelings, as that is where life is truly experienced.
