Are you always in your head, thinking things through, planning for the next thing, worrying how that recent conversation / meeting / decision / piece of work went?

How often do you really tune in to how your body is feeling instead?

When we bring our attention to our bodies we help ourselves break free from the tyranny of constantly thinking.

If we are constantly thinking and not ‘being’, we can easily become unbalanced and this shows up in our reactions and emotions. Having access to quick and simple tools that calm and balance us is vitally important to our health and well-being. In our fast paced and ever-changing world, proactively managing our state throughout the day is very beneficial to our health and well-being, our energy levels, mood and ultimately performance. Tuning into our body is an easy, accessible and fun way of doing this.

Centring is a form of state management that works with the fight/flight/freeze response to optimise how we are. One simple technique is called ‘ABC’ and is taken from a field of bodywork called ‘embodiment’. Embodiment is the way we are. It is how we feel, relate and do. Our bodies reflect the set of habits that we call ourselves. This embodiment technique

ABC – Simple Centring Technique

A – Aware

Become aware of yourself, your body. Be mindful of the present moment, using the 5 senses (touch, feel, sight, smell, hear) , especially feeling the body, ground (chair or feet) and your breath.

B – Balance

Place your feet firmly on the floor, make sure your weight is distributed evenly, not skewed to one side. Check this balance in your posture and attention. Have an expansive feeling extending up and out from your chest, your heart.

C – Core

Relax your mouth and stomach, breathe deeply into your body. Notice your breath moving your belly in and out. Breath deeply for a few breaths and enjoy the calm focus.

Practicing this technique outside of any challenging situations helps you get used to how your body feels and responses as you quickly move through the sequence. When a stressful or challenging situation occurs, you should be more able to slip into using ABC ‘in’ the moment. Notice how it slows down your ‘flight/fight/freeze’ response.

When you run through and practice this technique, ask yourself:

What personal insights come up?

How might you use this technique in your life?