Movement: the key to emotional release
Do you notice your body feeling the urge to move, scream, or release in any way when you are experiencing emotions? Maybe you notice this when you are feeling anxious, angry, annoyed or even scared. Sometimes, you may even notice that your body may struggle to move when you are feeling sad or disappointed. Your body may oscillate between these reactions depending on what emotion you are experiencing.
Emotions exist in our bodies in the form of energy - energy in motion. That is one of the main reasons why we may experience feelings of being stuck or wanting to move when we notice our emotions (whether consciously or not).
Our bodies are practically screaming at us to help it move the energy…this is where movement as emotional release comes into play.
Movement helps us release endorphins, which is a natural mood booster. Movement can also help us tap into a sense of play, promoting a sense of ease and safety in our bodies. All while connecting us and our bodies to the present moment. When we don’t move our bodies, physical illness and pain may start to develop (another way in which our bodies start to scream at us for more attention).
Different forms of movement and possible benefits:
There are a seemingly infinite ways of moving your body and know that the way in which you choose to move will always be individualized to how you feel, your abilities and preferences.
gentle movement: this can be a gentle stretch, a yin yoga class or even focusing on intentional breath. The practice of gentle movement involves just that, moving in small, subtle and gentle ways to begin to move the energy in your body.
shaking or jumping: a beautiful and primitive form of release - you can jump on a trampoline, you can do jumping jacks, you can shake your whole body or only certain parts. You can even look at animals for this form of release - maybe you imagine an antelope after being chased or a dog after getting a rush of energy shaking off their bodies, a primitive way to release and restore balance in the body.
active or high intensity movement: running, boxing, swimming, hiit class, etc. anything that requires a high expenditure of energy is considered active movement.
dance and play: allow your body to move in response to music - whether it be coordinated or not - this possibly unstructured movement allows for your body to tap into a sense of play which is always extremely healing.
How to use movement for emotional release:
The first step is to take a moment to notice how your body is feeling. Maybe you pause and identify it for yourself. Or maybe you use a somatic descriptor worksheet to name the experienced sensations you are noticing. (You can read more about and download it here)
Next, decide what form of movement would be the most supportive for you today. There are SO MANY different ways in which we can use our bodies - yoga, dance, walking, boxing, pilates, strength training, etc. give yourself the opportunity to really decide which would be the most supportive for you - knowing that it is more than ok if it is something you have never tried or different from what you may usually gravitate towards.
MOVE - this one is pretty obvious but as you are moving, see if you can do gentle check ins to see how your body is feeling.
Last, notice. Notice how your body feels after moving, notice any shifts in your energy, take some time to really notice if there are any differences in your experience.
The best part of using movement as emotional release is that it is free. While yes, you may have to pay to attend a workout class, there are also so many ways in which you can engage in movement (no matter how big or small) for little to no cost.
Let me know in the comments if you tried using movement for emotional release. I would love to hear how you felt after!
