What if you’re stuck because you won’t stop moving?

It was the third night in a row when I slept for 3 hours with the phone next to my head.

I woke up 4 or 5 times and sent several messages after seeing alarming tweets.

We were in a middle of a very serious crisis and nobody was counting over hours. We all put in as much effort as we physically could.

Very quickly I started losing focus. I was not able to write a simple sentence. The headache was pounding relentlessly despite the pain killers.

I closed my laptop, sat down on the floor and simply started to breathe.

In, out. In, out.

Following the air down to the stomach, and back out through the mouth.

Shortly after I sent out a message to the team, ‘do you want to join me and breathe together?’ - they did. Everyday for the next two weeks. In pure madness, they could just be for a short moment of time.

How did 15 minutes of breathing do what hours of pushing through couldn’t?

My default reaction to a problem was always to solve it. I used to (or actually still do!) jump straight into action. And frankly, it worked great. I would usually find a solution, save a situation, and could continue my daily busy life, until the next problem showed up.

Many of us perceive it as productivity. Or as being successful. We deliver. We achieve. We do.

And while there is nothing wrong with doing, there is something wrong with the lack of “being”.

We achieve, but don’t reflect.

We succeed, but don’t celebrate.

We push through, but don’t feel.

What if that constant need of delivery is not caused by lack of action, but by lack of awareness?

Forget about incense and mantras. Same goes for asanas and crystals. Keep your hot cocoa if you like the taste of it though.

Let me say this loud and clear - somatic work is not about spirituality, even though it can be.

Somatics is noticing what is happening in your body in this very moment.

Do you feel tension?

Any heavy sensation?

The temperature of the air you’re breathing out?

All of this is data that you can use when you’re making decisions in both your professional and personal life. Your body is responding to the current moment and signalling things like fear, excitement, discomfort, truth or threat - way faster than your brain can process.

Your mind is a brilliant overthinker. It can linger on decisions and circle around ideas for months looking for the perfect answer.

Your body already knows the answer. You just never let it speak.

We were already talking for 20 minutes. I felt like we’re running in circles. Trying to think the way out of a challenging situation without success.

Would you be open to working with the body? - I suddenly asked.

My client agreed immediately, and their shoulders relaxed.

We stood up, eyes closed, bringing attention to the breath and the body.

My client recognised a heavy feeling in their chest. It felt like a grey, heavy, edgy object which was not allowing them to take a full breath in. After a short moment of silence it became clear.

It’s fear.

I’m afraid of judgement and rejection.

And I don’t know what to do about it.

You can’t solve what you can’t see. We didn’t fix that issue in the session. However what was a hidden obstacle was now visible to both of us.

If this sounds familiar - looping in your head, knowing that something is off but not sure what it is, I made a free guide with somatic resets you can try yourself.

Quick flashback to our ancestral times. When the early humans were in danger there was no time to be and reflect. They literally had to drop whatever they were doing and run away.

Nowadays, it’s rarely true that a message from our boss or an angry client is a serious life threat (unless you really messed it up this time). Yet we repeat the same response - we jump straight into overthinking or action.

And while our nervous system is convinced it’s doing us a favour as the instant response will keep us safe, it does not realise that we are not in real danger. It may give an impression of keeping us safe, but in reality it doesn’t allow us to be fully alive.

What does fully alive look like in practice?

We all define it in a different way, but a common answer is to be present. Don’t worry, you don’t have to download a meditation app right away.

You can just be - notice a clenched jaw during the next meeting. Shallow breath before a difficult conversation with your partner. The heaviness that’s always present, but you refuse to give it a name.

When you start noticing and naming the sensations, you start choosing your response.

That’s the first step to shift from autopilot to agency.

Our breathing sessions didn’t cause us to do less. We actually did more but we acted from a place of awareness rather than reactivity.

Even though you might not be in a crisis room right now (and I hope it stays this way), you can do it too.

Next time before you respond to a challenging message take a pause. Take a breath in and scan your body from your head down to your toes. Notice what comes up.

What did your body recognise before your mind was able to catch up?

If you know someone who never stops moving, send this blogpost to them.

thanks for reading until the end.

big hug,

zuz