When our minds and bodies are disconnected, it feels a lot like living in someone else’s skin. The skin you’re in feels a bit foreign because your mind frequently drifts away from the here-and-now that your body is living in. Reconnecting your mind and body starts with intention. A desire to close the gap and align your mind and body once again so that how you feel is in agreement with what you are thinking.
Where do you start?
Reconnecting your mind and body doesn’t require crazy rituals or a particular starting point. Reconnecting your mind and body can start simply with the smallest awareness that they are connected. Here are three powerful steps to reconnect your mind and body.
Step #1: Notice what’s right. So much of the chatter in our minds is focused on what’s wrong. What wrong at home, with the world, in the media, with our bodies, with our co-workers, and more. The first step in reconnecting the mind and body is noticing what’s right.
There’s a term called the negative bias. This refers to our tendency to focus on negative things far more than positive. This includes paying more attention to criticism than compliments, as well as dwelling on past negative experiences despite having had past positive experiences. That means it’s human nature to focus on what’s wrong rather than what’s right.
People with a connected mind and body are intentional about focusing on what’s right with their worlds rather than what’s wrong. Be intentional about what’s right. Journal your thoughts or simply be mindful when you see something that’s right. Be sure to keep your eyes wide open for seeing what’s right everywhere you look.
Step #2: Notice what’s beautiful. Being aware of beauty helps with the mind body connection. Seeing beautiful things ignites sparks in your emotions and senses. Noticing the wonders of a beautiful mountain range covered in snow or watching a magnificent sunset on the beach, smelling the salted air and feeling the breeze on your skin, delights your mind and body.
Admiring beautiful things helps you better identify things you prefer. From the perfect piece of art for your home to the best shade of lipstick for your makeup kit – finding beautiful things helps you express outwardly what you enjoy inwardly.
Step #3: Spend time with yourself. How much time do you spend alone? When you are alone, do you distract yourself with mindlessness? Music, podcasts, television can all distract from quality time with yourself. Try spending time alone with your thoughts. Notice how your mind and body connect when you allow your mind to wander and settle in on a topic. Take a long bath or soak in the hot tub and notice how your mind and body experience the solitude. Does your body try to relax while your mind races with thoughts about an unfinished to-do list? Work to stay in the present moment and truly enjoy time relaxing.
Reclaiming your mind and body connection will take time if you’ve been unintentional in the past. These simple steps will help you begin to reconnect your mind and body. As you experience first-hand the synchronicity, it becomes easier to recognize it and be intentional as time goes on.
