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The Insight Pause: The Body Speaks First

 

You know that tension in your neck? The stomach drop before opening certain emails? Or the way your chest feels heavy around some people – but not others?

 

Most people dismiss these things as “just stress” But your body isn’t simply reacting. It’s remembering.

Sometimes, the body speaks louder than the mind. And the sooner we listen, the quieter it has to shout.

 

This week’s reflection is simple:

➔ Where in your body are you holding something your mind hasn’t yet acknowledged?

 

It might show up as:

• Shallow breath when your calendar’s too full
• Jaw clenching in certain rooms
• Restlessness at night
• Unease that always arrives with specific people – long before a word is spoken (or even just in their presence, when your body knows you’ll be around them soon)

 

You don’t need to diagnose it instantly. But you do need to notice it.

Not every pain needs an immediate solution. But every signal deserves your attention.

 

 

(No, this isn’t just theory. I’ve lived it. Years of neck and stomach tension with no clear diagnosis—until I slowed down enough to notice when it showed up. My body knew something my mind was denying)

 

Here’s what happens: The body often stores what the unconscious hasn’t yet processed – and the subconscious hasn’t been able to surface. And until it reaches conscious awareness – through acknowledgment, not avoidance – it keeps speaking through tension, fatigue, and discomfort.

 

You don’t need to fix everything today. But long-term avoidance has a cost.

 

(If I hadn’t paused back then, I’d probably still be managing a “mystery” stomach issue – just like they told me to.
Daily pills, ongoing treatment. That was the path. And honestly – can you blame them? I kept turning to physical treatment, without ever asking what else my body might be trying to say)

 

 

It’s easy to overlook the inner work when the outer answers feel quicker. So if something in you is speaking – pause.
Not to figure it all out.

Just long enough to really hear it.

 

Not sure where to start? Start by writing it down.

 

You don’t have to solve it today.

But you can start listening differently.

 

That might be the most important decision you make this week.

 

 

 

✍🏼 Written by Abigail R.

Founder of arickard | Coach & Consultant | Author of Self-Love Blueprint & Unbreakable. Supporting leaders and changemakers to regulate their nervous system, gain clarity, and find calm - so they can lead with presence, purpose, and emotional depth.

 

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