Body Language

No, it's not just the way you move, sit or stand. Body Language is how your body talks to YOU. It is a unique language, just like your fingerprint. Only you can truly understand what it is saying.

As a Somatic Journey work Guide, I work with your Body Language and your Inner Wisdom to act as an interpreter so that you can come to understand how your body talks to you.

Your Body Language can tell you everything you need to know....what foods to eat or avoid, what exercise to do, how much sleep to get, when to leave an unfulfilling job (no matter how much it pays). Your Body Language is your own internal GPS system calibrated specifically to you.

The problem is we are not taught how to listen to our Body Language growing up. In fact, most of us are taught how to actively NOT listen to what our bodies are saying. Have a headache? Take some aspirin. Tired? Caffeine will help. Not to say I haven't taken my fair share of both aspirin and caffeine (there may or may not be a cup of coffee on my desk as I write this....)

It's when we take the aspirin, caffeine or other substance without actually listening to what our bodies need. It's when we go to work, school or other event when we're sick, tired or in pain that we lose the gift and wisdom of our Body Language.

What happens when we don't listen?

Fear, doubt, pain, discomfort, depression, digestion issues, hormonal issues, acne, weight gain, fatigue, irritability, anger, isolation, overeating, under eating, addiction, insomnia, emptiness, blame, shame, guilt……do I need to go on?

Things get ugly when we don’t listen. The more ugly it is, the longer it’s been since we listened.

But this is part of the language. All of these things are messages from your body saying ‘Hey! Listen to me!!!’ Now don’t get me wrong, depression, digestive issues, hormonal issues and the like are absolute reason to seek medical help.

My not listening story almost got me killed. I had been working with a doctor that was referred to me by a close friend. I didn’t feel great about this doc, but because she was referred to me and was “soooo amazing” I continued to go. I was having some serious digestion/food allergy issues at the time.

About once or twice a week I would wake up in the middle of the night with excruciating pain, a 10/10 on the pain scale. I couldn’t breathe or move the pain was so bad; sometimes I would vomit from the pain. This would last anywhere from 2-5 hours, by then it would be time to get up and go to work…..God forbid I rest and take care of myself. This doctor diagnosed me with a nightshade allergy and an ulcer. I went on a super clean diet. I eliminated everything….wheat, gluten, sugar, dairy, alcohol, tomatoes, peppers, eggplant. Every once in a while, I’d get the feeling that something was wrong, more than just the obvious, but I didn’t listen.

I kept thinking, if I just ate better, worked out more, worked harder, then I’d feel better. I bathed, showered and soaked in ‘shoulds’. I should eat this, I shouldn’t eat that, I should work out more, I should lose weight, I should cook more, I should do more yoga, I should meditate…on and on and on and on.

I was in the process of launching a new business, I had eight employees and I had taken on a rent that was WAY to big for my budget (another not listening moment). I wasn’t earning any money because any money I earned was put directly back in my business (thank God for a supportive husband!!) I didn’t have time to worry or think about what could be going on, there was too much else that I should be doing.

This went on for almost 5 years. Finally, I had an attack that lasted 5 days. I’d get 2-3 hour breaks where I’d sleep, but I was still bathing in the ‘shoulds’. I continued to ignore my screaming body and said, “If I just work harder, if I could just eat better or do more I will feel better.”

After about 3 days of non-stop intense pain, I was going crazy. I called my sister; she had managed a general surgery practice for over ten years. I wanted to know what my options were, what to expect if I were to go to the hospital. She asked me four questions and said ‘that is not an ulcer, you are having gall bladder attacks’. That truth hit so hard and sunk so deep. I was finally listening.

By the time I got to the hospital, I had developed pancreatitis and would have died if I didn’t seek medial help. They had me in surgery in a matter of hours.

I was too worried that I might offend the friend that referred me. I put someone’s degree above my own inner knowing. I didn’t listen.

I truly believe that had I listened to that voice that said ‘something isn’t right’ I could have made changes early on and been able to avoid emergency gall bladder surgery. I could have avoided years of pain and the subsequent self-abuse of work harder, be better, do more and it will be okay.

We don’t have to be in pain to listen. Although it is very helpful to listen when we are in pain, learning to listen before we are in pain (mental or physical) can help us navigate around those rough waters with relative ease.

Not listening can be as simple as skipping a meal. It can manifest as fatigue, brain fog, chronic and unexplainable pain. Your body is always talking to you. Now let’s start to figure out how to listen.

Through Somatic Journey work and coaching you can uncover your own Body Language, create your own GPS and know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, what you need to be whole, happy, authentic and free. I've worked with people for over 20 years to develop a process to understand your Body Language. I look forward to helping you discover what your body has to say.