Sometimes I feel like a simmering kettle. It’s as if my body is hyped up and ready to leap at the slightest threat. Just increase the heat slightly and I’ll boil over.
To the outside world this will go unnoticed. I guess it seems that I’m more excited than usual. But within myself I am uptight and about to spring, my body is tense and there is a residual anxiety bubbling within me. It doesn’t take much for this kettle to boil, given the right amount of heat it may even blow its lid off.
Perhaps eating food which my body does not like, a friend niggling at me, a situation which reminds me of my past trauma, or the pressures of life slowly building over time. Quite often I have no idea that the temperature is rising as it slowly increases due to a few small triggers.
Over the years I have learned that there are tell-tale signs of this tension building. Some include an increase in pain in specific areas of my body, tightness in my shoulders, hips and lower back and food is back on the menu as a source of comfort. Left unnoticed, I make more mistakes than usual in my work and my memory fails me. The distractions can make be more susceptible to falling as I am not focusing my steps.
This is a legacy of my past trauma. Experiences can trigger my subconscious and tension slowly builds up until the point where I become reactive, angry, depressed, or emotional. This is what trauma does to some of us. The pain of our past remains in our subconscious, our cells and nervous system and no amount of self-work can completely take this away. Believe me, I have tried.
But what we can do is place our body in the best position to deal with these triggers. Without the physical and psychological reactions created by the things we can change, we can be more aware of reactions to past trauma and face the trauma before losing control.
For me, avoiding food to which my body reacts has helped me keep an even temperament. Eating a healthy diet keeps my mood positive. Walking to keep me fit reduces my fatigue. Maintaining caring friendships gives me comfort. The love I give to and receive from my big greyhound, Dreamy comforts me when I need someone close. These decisions have reduced the stress on my body and have made my life much easier.
If you want to learn how to reduce the stress on your body, message me for a chat.
In love, Jenny
