Spaciousness: Your Antidote To Tension

Why do high-achieving women, like you, experience tension?

How can you counteract this strain on your body?

Believe it or not, you already have everything you need to set yourself free.

First, let’s look at tension and why it occurs. Tension arises when you experience mental or emotional pressure, which can come from external and internal sources. For example, if you work in a high-stress job, you may feel intense pressure to achieve. This can be external pressure from management or internal pressure from yourself…or both.

As a high-achieving woman, you may have a tendency to put internal pressure on yourself to be perfect, to do better, to be better, thus bringing about tension that can lead to mental and even physical strain. A mind impacted by pressure can lose clarity.

As tension builds in your mind, it starts to reside in your body. Muscles tense up when the body is under stress, which is how our body guards against injury. Tense shoulders, sore backs, and tight hips can all be signs of the mental strain you’re carrying. Excessive tension build-up can also trigger unhealthy emotions.

Releasing tension from your body can also release it from the mind and return you to a place of ease. An excellent way to accomplish this is by creating spaciousness through movement. This can dissolve the pressure causing tension in the body and mind. It can also liberate unhealthy emotions that were stored in a physical form in the body. As well, the breath you use during movement creates air and space within the body.

Therefore, creating spaciousness in the body releases unhealthy tension and unburdens your mind. Yet it’s also good practice to get in touch with where you hold tension in your body, so you can become aware of it before it begins to speak so loudly that it stops you in your tracks. Let’s start with a body scan.

Body scan

Take a moment to pause each day. Allow yourself to breathe and be still while you scan your body, starting either at the bottom or the top.

Begin by mindfully directing your attention to your toes or the top of your head. Notice how it feels. Then go to the next part of your body and do the same. As you move through the scanning process you may find tension is stored in certain areas, such as your shoulder or hips. You may notice your jaw clenches or your feet are sore.

Your body is a guide to how you’re feeling. By scanning your body daily, you’ll learn how it stores tension, which can be helpful in preventing and releasing future physical and emotional distress.

Movement

There are endless ways to move your body to create spaciousness. Any movement that brings you joy can also create internal space.

Walk in nature

The energy of nature can remove you from life stressors. The sound of birds and running water, the feeling of fresh air on your skin, and the beauty of lush green forests and sparkling blue seas, distracts your senses and calms your mind.

Yoga

Yoga focuses on the body moving in tune with the breath. This is an especially powerful type of movement because with each breath we create space. Pairing movement with breath can be very helpful for releasing tension and inviting spaciousness.

Dancing

Dancing can be a fun way to get your body moving and to feel spacious and free. The best thing about dancing is that you can do it anywhere. Play tunes in your spare time or while you do chores and let the music get you moving.

When you’re not up for movement

Laughter

Put on your favorite comedy show for a good laugh. Laughter releases hormones that counteract stress and release tension. A joyful laugh is one of the simplest ways to bring spaciousness into your mind and body.

Touchstone

Create spaciousness in your body by calming your mind with a touchstone. A touchstone is an object that represents a desire and enables you to embody it. It can be prayer beads, a rosary, a gemstone, or anything that has meaning for you. Envisioning or physically holding a touchstone, while being mindful of your breath, can help your body relax and release tension.

The outcome

Mindful movement of your body and your breath produces hormones that reduce stress and releases old stored energy from tensions or unhealthy emotions. Encouraging the movement of your breath, inhaling and exhaling, allows new energy to flow through the body and releases tension. At first, this might feel unfamiliar, because the stuck energy was part of you for some time. However, once it’s gone, you’ll begin to feel the spaciousness you’ve created and the new and lighter energy within.

For more support with releasing the tension from unhealthy emotions and relationships that no longer serve you, click here to claim your complimentary Self-Reflection Guide: The Art Of Letting Go. Discover additional ways that spaciousness can accelerate your freedom, flow, and fulfillment.

This free gift will help provide:

➢ A release from harmful emotions

➢ Liberation from unhealthy relationships

➢ Reduction of stress

➢ Increased spaciousness

➢ Greater joy

Start with a body scan, invite in movement (or its alternatives), and immerse yourself in spaciousness!