Before anything else: I invite you to perhaps gently close your eyes, Ask yourself one question: "How does my body feel right now?" Allow yourself to briefly scan your entire body Simply notice Becoming aware of anything you can FEEL in your body right now - that’s it. No need to do anything more - nothing to fix, no judgement, no story or reasons are necessary. Simply notice - it might be a specific area of your body. There might be certain sensations present - maybe heavy or soft, pressure or weight, heat… it could be anything from a flickery eye, a sore right toe, tight hips or aches in your low back. Maybe your neck strains on certain movements… anything. Or you might notice if you feel calm or stressed. You could possibly rate this state out of 1-10 if that’s more accessible (1 being bliss 10 so stressed you're considering jumping ship) Just notice Awareness is the key to any change 💕 By taking a moment to pay attention to your body you are effectively giving yourself your full attention in the present moment What did you notice? Repeat this exercise daily. Share what you noticed/any feedback with the community by commenting on this post. 👇Together we can hold each other accountable and stay motivated. There is a tracking worksheet attached if this is useful too The idea is you complete an act of self care everyday. The nervous system prefers small actions repeated daily 😉 (we will delve more into this later) Erica 🌿 Daily Check-in - 60 Second Body Scan

Not because I wanted to fight, but because I felt like I wasn’t being heard. I’d bring something up that, to me, was just a conversation. Then I’d be told it was rubbish, that it wasn’t relevant, or that we shouldn’t be talking about it in front of the kids. The thing was, I wasn’t trying to pick a fight. I was trying to be heard. The more dismissed I felt, the louder I got. I can still hear myself saying, “I’m not trying to fight with you. Can you just hear me? Just hear me.” Looking back now, I can see it wasn’t really about yelling. It was what happened in my body when I felt Unseen. Dismissed, Unimportant. Not good enough. Our boys are 6 and 10. My eldest turns 10 next week Between about 3 and 9 years old, children are learning what is normal. They’re not just listening to what you say. They’re watching how you respond when you’re stressed, frustrated, hurt or overwhelmed. Nearly two years ago, I noticed something that really hit me. My eldest had started yelling at his little brother. He was often angry or frustrated at me. He would never direct his yelling at me. Just at him. My youngest was doing exactly what his dad used to do. He’d walk away. Disappear into his room. Hide. Run… avoid That’s when I realised they weren’t just watching us. They were learning us. That was the moment everything changed for me. Not because I suddenly stopped yelling. Not because I got it right from then on. But because I stopped waiting for tomorrow to do something about it. I started in that moment. It started with one conscious breath. Just one breath before I responded. I apologised to the boys. Told them I was feeling overwhelmed and a bit scared - and it wasn’t their fault. It never is. Im going to do better. Then I added a body scan. The conscious breath became something I used several times a day. The body scan became part of my daily practice, I had to use a tracker. I had to work so hard to do it even though it was simple - for the record and I still do it now. I think I’ll do it forever…

You don’t need to understand your body to begin listening to it. Take 60 seconds today to simply notice. Notice your breathing. Notice where your body meets the chair or the floor. Notice any areas that feel comfortable. Notice any areas that feel uncomfortable. That’s all. No fixing. No analysing. Just becoming familiar with what your body is experiencing today. You might like to join the Daily Check-In and track your progress by connecting with others and their experiences. You’re not alone 💕

🍃 Now that you’ve completed the first part of the Calm Body classroom, you have a clearer sense of what this space is about. Perhaps someone comes to mind that might also enjoy Calm Body? You can share an invitation with anyone by using this link: 🔗 [Calm Body Invitation Link] Thank you for being here and for helping this community grow, one person at a time. 💚

Embodied practices give you the opportunity to pause long enough to experience what is actually happening, rather than automatically reacting to what your mind predicts is happening. 🧠 Your mind and body were never designed to work separately. Your mind helps you: • Think • Plan • Imagine • Solve problems • Make meaning of the world Your body is constantly sensing and responding through: • Breath • Movement • Tension • Energy • Posture • Emotion • Physical sensation When we spend most of our time in our heads, we lose access to an important part of our lived experience. We can become caught in: • What has already happened • What might happen next • Everything that needs to be done • Everyone else’s needs We keep moving… Often without stopping long enough to notice what is happening within us. 🌿 Embodied practice creates that pause. It may be: ✨ A 30-second body check-in ✨ A few Conscious Breaths ✨ A Therapeutic Yin Yoga class The length of the practice matters far less than the intention behind it. That moment, allows you to stop and notice: I am still here. I am paying attention. What is happening in my body right now? It’s in effect connection 👶 we have all had those experiences “grown up stuff” vs child (phone call, bumping into an old friend or sending a quick email etc) 🧐 “Mum… Mum… Mum…” “Hold on a minute” “Mum, Mum, Mum” becomes louder and more urgent while the we remain determined to complete task. Frustration increasing…. Stress activates in all 🤦‍♀️ What if, instead the you were to stop. Kneel down. Make eye contact. “I see you.” “I’m listening.” “What do you need?” The problem may still exist. The child may still need something. But something shifts The fight subsides - a completely different experience exists. Our bodies are often communicating in much the same way. Tension. Restlessness. A racing heart. Heaviness. Shallow breathing. Irritability. Discomfort. When these signals are continually pushed aside, they often become louder.