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Tune into Your Body

All, Mind-Body

by Tori Roalef
June 17, 2025

When we step outside into the cold, we get goosebumps down our arms, and we shiver. Our body tells us, grab a jacket. Whereas, when we sweat under the humid heat, our body tells us, cool down!

A grumbling stomach says, find and eat food. Drooping eyes and sluggishness may tell us, it's time for bed.

Our bodies send us many messages throughout the day. Are you listening to those messages? Are you responding to your body?

The Idea of the Week

Lizzie Braiks-Rinker offers this question in her powerful 17-minute TED talk: Your body is talking to you, are you listening? Lizzie was an athlete who had a “perfect” health regimen; it seemed like she was the epitome of health.

However, an accident left her struggling to maintain this regimen. She was challenged to actually listen to what her body needed. Lizzie shares how she learned to nourish herself spiritually, emotionally, and mentally, and she offers a holistic perspective on health and wellness.

“Your body is your home.

Would you rather live in this house? It’s constantly under renovation. There’s no carpet. There’s stuff everywhere that’s probably going to fall on you. Do you want to feel like this at home?”

Or would you rather feel comfort, joy, love, and compassion in your home?

The Practice of the Week

Like communicating with a friend, learning to listen and respond to your body is a skill. It may not be easy at first, especially when years of conditioning may encourage you to disconnect from your body. With practice, though, you can harness this skill to nourish yourself in meaningful ways.

This PsychologyToday article offers 3 beginner steps to begin listening and responding to your body:

Use transition points to check in, such as sitting down to eat or getting in the car.
Guide your awareness through your body.
Ask yourself, “What do I need right now?”

Ready to take this skill to the next level? There are 3 more strategies to sharpen your body-listening skills.

Practice a body scan once or twice a week.
Use yoga to tune into your body or other mindful movements. For instance, practice mindfulness while you cleanse your body in the shower, while you dance, or while you walk barefoot in the grass.
Tune into your body’s cues all the time. At different points in the day, tune into what you do or how you feel. You may recognize a pattern. For instance, you tighten your jaw before you have to present in a meeting. Or you sigh a lot when you feel frustrated. Knowing your body’s cues can help you find a response that will nourish you and address your needs in that moment.

Tune in right now. What is your body telling you?