Does Your Body Keep Score? A Mobility a Day Keeps the Physio (and Stress) Away
Hey there! Hope your week is stress-free :)
Did you know that stress can affect your mobility? I recently revisited the book The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk. He suggests that different body parts can reflect emotional and metaphysical states. Various holistic practices like Yoga, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), and Ayurveda have long discussed the mind-body connection. But have you ever considered analyzing your pain a bit further?
For some, this might sound too woo-woo, while others strongly believe in it. Here’s a list of the most common aches and pains you approach me with and their potential emotional meanings:
Common Aches & Pains and Their Meanings
Neck: Neck pain may symbolize inflexibility, stubbornness, or difficulty in seeing other perspectives. It might also reflect a struggle with communication or expressing oneself.
Shoulders: Shoulder pain can indicate carrying heavy emotional burdens or responsibilities. It might suggest feeling overwhelmed or unsupported.
Upper Back: Pain in the upper back is often linked to feelings of lack of emotional support or carrying the weight of past emotional wounds.
Middle Back: This area is frequently associated with guilt, feeling stuck in the past, or harboring unresolved emotions.
Lower Back: Lower back pain can be connected to financial worries, fear of lack, or instability in one's foundation or support systems.
Hips: Hip pain is regularly related to fear of moving forward, indecision, or resistance to change and progress.
Knees: Knee pain can signify pride, ego issues, or inflexibility. It might also reflect fear or reluctance to move forward.
Ankles: Pain in the ankles may be associated with inflexibility in life, difficulty in adapting, or resistance to progress and movement.
Stomach: Stomach issues often reflect anxiety, fear, and inability to process emotions. It can indicate a need to digest and assimilate life experiences.
Feet: Foot pain can be connected to fear of the future, difficulty moving forward in life, or feeling unsupported.
Daily Body Scan for Pain Relief
Anxiety, feeling burdened, and inability to act are issues we all face daily. A quick body scan I do daily (and you should too) helps to pinpoint where the pain is coming from. Here's how you can do it:
Acknowledge the Pain: Identify where the pain is located and list the top three struggles you have.
Familiarize Yourself with the Pain: The only way out is through. Ignoring the pain won't solve it.
Be Okay with Paying: You will either pay your surgeon in the future, pay by investing time in your daily mobility exercises, or pay with your health if you decide to stay on standby mode. You have the option to choose the currency.
Action Steps to Improve Mobility
Theory is great, but it doesn’t solve problems. Action does. Here's my offer to help you turn from stiff to flexible:
Commit: Decide to take action and make a plan to improve your mobility.
Execute: Follow through with daily mobility exercises for the next 60 days.
Enjoy the Effects: Experience the positive changes that your effort brings.
Or, if you're ready, push it to the next level. The choice is yours :)
Remember, your body keeps score of everything you experience. By understanding the connection between your emotions and physical pain, you can take control of your health and well-being. Don't let stress and mobility issues hold you back. Start today with simple, daily actions to improve your life.
Ready to improve your mobility and reduce stress? This is my offer to turn you from stiff to flexible. Join on a 60-day journey to better health and flexibility. Commit, execute, and enjoy the benefits. Your future self will thank you!