day 5 - 25 Days of wellness
Hey there! I’ve seen a couple of people I follow do Advent calendars for various things - 1000 Hours Outside has one for outdoor family activities, and Nutritious Movement has one for movement to create a “butt for the holidays” haha. So good.
So here we go - I’m going to drop a little post each day on a little Wellness tidbit for you to consider. Enjoy!
DAY 5 - body scan
How are you doing with your writing, breath, and cold? I hope you’ll consider trying the routine if you haven’t yet! I promise you it will INSTANTLY energize you and take your stress way down, and if you keep it up over time you’re going to see all kinds of benefits to your chronic issues, stress level, and immunity!
Today we are practicing being more aware and curious about our body. You can easily apply this to your thoughts and emotions, but let’s practice first with something tangible. Grab a paper and pencil to record your observations!
BODY SCAN EXERCISE
You can do this exercise laying down, sitting, or standing. Try it each way and see what you notice!
What do you notice about your body right now? (Hot, cold, textures on your skin, contact with surfaces or the floor, aches and pains. Just scan your body. Don’t judge. Don’t try to change anything. Just observe.)
Now, did you have part of your body that felt a little uncomfortable? A little achey? A little tense? A little painful? Focus your awareness on that area. Be specific. Spend a minute or two here. Don’t judge. Don’t try to change anything. Just observe. Does it have a color? Does it have a texture?
What do you notice as you focus your attention on the area of discomfort? Does anything change in your body? Does the area of discomfort get bigger? Smaller? Does the intensity/level of pain increase or decrease?
Now, I want you to shake your body out a little bit. Shake your hands, flick your fingers, roll your wrists. Same with your legs, feet, and ankles (use your own discernment - if this is not safe for your physical condition, just do a lighter version that is). Ok. Now we’re back.
Scan your body again. Is there a part of your body that feels comfortable and easy? Relaxed? Focus your awareness on that area. Be specific. Spend a minute or two here. Don’t judge. Don’t try to change anything. Just observe. Does it have a color? Does it have a texture?
What do you notice as you focus your attention on the area of Ease? Does anything change in your body? Does the area of comfort get bigger? Smaller? Does the intensity/level of pain increase or decrease?
Great job! Record any further observations and thoughts regarding this exercise. What did you notice?
See you on Day 6!
