Mind Your Body summary

A significant part of anyone’s life is going to involve having intense emotional experiences. You might know this already, but you might not realise just how much these experiences can affect our overall health.

There is a whole range of emotions that, for one reason or another, can be deemed "unacceptable," so we feel we must repress them. Repressing an emotion here or there isn’t necessarily a problem. But we all have within us an emotional reservoir, where we store these repressed feelings. On a good day, it may be three-fourths full. On a not-so-good day, the emotional reservoir can overflow and that’s when the pain kicks in.

We all know that our brains aren’t perfect. They make mistakes all the time. But thankfully, they’re capable of change. It's possible to reverse the cycle of chronic pain, no matter how long it's persisted.

Before we get into the process itself, it must be said that a positive mindset is crucial going in. Our perception is our reality. If we believe we’re in danger, or if we believe something’s hopeless, our body will respond accordingly. Believing in your ability to change is the foundation upon which the work of healing is built.

Now, let’s get into the nuts and bolts of the process. The main tools are going to be two practices, writing and meditation, both of which will require commitment and consistency if they’re going to be helpful. 

With this in mind, it’s best to think of this as a new daily routine – or even a ritual – and to set yourself up for success by making room and finding the right environment. Choose a space where you are able to think freely and clearly. This work goes deep, inviting you to release painful emotions. Find a space that supports this.

Before you start the 20-minute timer on your first JournalSpeak session, take some time to thoughtfully list your stressors. In fact, try to list some out in three different categories: childhood, daily life, and personality. 

Childhood encompasses past events or relationships causing sadness, pain, conflict, or trauma. Daily life includes current stressors like work, family, and relationships. Personality addresses traits like people-pleasing or self-criticism that create conflicts between your authentic self and external expectations. Again, this can be difficult work, but you can often measure that difficulty against the amount of healing that it will lead to.

Here’s the challenge: for 28 days straight, take 30 minutes a day to engage fully in this Mindbody approach. You may be skeptical, but believe it or not 28 days is indeed enough time to kickstart a transformation.

Begin with a Day One inventory of your mental and physical well-being, noting symptoms, severity, and stressors. On Day 28, take a new inventory and compare it with Day One. At that point, you’ll celebrate the changes resulting from your hard work and consistency. They’ll clearly signify a release from repressed feelings and a shift toward a healthier state of being.