Holiday Somatic Reminders When Struggling With Your Food and Body

First, I want to express my deepest gratitude to each and every one of you who have joined me on this incredible podcast journey. Whether you've been here from the beginning or just recently discovered Satiated, your support means the world to me.

Thank you for your emails letting me know how much the podcast has supported you, for your glowing reviews, and for sharing the podcast with those you know. I have this passionate internal drive that wants to support as many individuals as I can in their relationship with their food and body and you being here is making that possible. Satiated was in the top 25% of podcasts on Buzzsprout and has reached 75 different countries.

So thank you for being a part of this podcast family.

For any guests who have been on the podcast listening to this, thank you for offering your precious time to share your wisdom and expertise to support those who are here. 

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Now, as we gather 'round the virtual fireplace today, I wanted to offer some somatic practice reminders that you can play this short podcast episode on your drive to parties, to family gatherings, or when you're perhaps alone and wishing you were around others.

First, let's take a deep breath together.

Inhale on a count of 4 and exhale on a count of 4. Let's do that again. Inhale 1, 2, 3, 4 and exhale 1, 2, 3, 4. One more time, inhale 1, 2, 3, 4 and exhale 1, 2, 3, 4. The breath is the one part of the autonomic nervous system that can be under your control. So when you notice your body starts to get triggered by the surroundings, the people, the food, and sense an increasing urge to engage in your food coping mechanisms, you can come into relationship with your breath. Your breath can be a stabilizing force when you’re looking for safety and consistency. It’s there for you with each inhale and each exhale. Extending your exhalation can activate your parasympathetic nervous system where you can start to shift into relaxation, safety, and connection.

Now let's check in with your body.

How's it feeling right now? Describe any emotions or sensations present to yourself. Notice areas of tension, tightness, and clenching. Acknowledge this bodily experience simply as information and communication from your body. It's not bad or wrong whatever is showing up. If these parts of your body had a voice, what would they say to you? Do they have a message to give you?

Notice if there are any bodily impulses present. This could be to wiggle, shake, stretch, or growl. If you notice the impulse to move in any particular way, lean into that impulse and either follow it or imagine yourself following it if it's not possible in this moment.

If it feels like too much to attend to these sensations, bring your attention to a neutral part of your body. This could be the tip of your nose, your ear lobes, your kneecaps, or your elbows. Notice what it feels like there and let the neutral feeling expand through your whole being. 

Bring your attention to your feet for a moment and wiggle your toes.

Notice what the socks or shoes or carpet feel like. Sometimes when you spend too much time in mobilization as you've been preparing for this moment to see others or spend the holidays however you're spending them, your body can be exhausted from staying in an extended hypervigilant state. You can actively bring your attention down, down, down into your feet, into the floor.

Find one thing around you that is a cue of safety right now.

This could be something outside your window. This could be music playing on the radio. This could be a person around you. Notice what potentially shifts inside of your body as you bring your focus and attention to something that sends a message of safety.

Lastly, as you transition out of this space of being together, reference your body on what it needs next. Is it hungry? Does it need food? Does it need to call someone? Do you need a moment to yourself to breathe?

Always remember that you never need to navigate dysregulating situations alone. Reach out for support from your trusted friends, family, fur friends, or festive nature sightings for some coregulation.

You can come back and listen to this episode whenever you need to as you navigate different holiday situations over the next few days.

I'll be taking next week off from putting out a new podcast and will be back in the new year with brand new interviews you will not want to miss. I hope you all have a regulating and safety-producing holiday season and excited to connect with you all in 2024!