i'm just looking around

experiments for anxious & overwhelmed bodies

hiiiii & welcome! there are a handful of new “faces” around here lately and i’m so glad you’re here!

alright, hear me out. this might sound silly, but what if you just looked around more? this practice is called “orienting” and it’s a cool way to check in with your body. we know that when animals (humans included!) feel safe, we naturally look around and notice different things in our environment. when we feel unsafe however, we only take in info about whatever is threatening (or maybe we don’t take in much info at all). intentionally looking around (ie: orienting) can help access those same feelings of safety that are present when we spontaneously orient (assuming the environment is relatively safe to begin with). want to give it a try?!

before we get to the practice below, you may have noticed i’m not sending a newsletter on my normal 1st of the month schedule anymore!

for several years i made a new zine + newsletter every single month. i realized that pacing was just a liiiiiittle too much for me to keep up with in a way that felt sustainable. so! i’m letting myself off the hook (yay) and am aiming for a new zine + newsletter every 1.5-2 months. it’s not a huge shift but those extra 2-4 weeks are already really making a difference in how i feel around this part of my work. any honestly, there is so much content and info out there in the world that adding my bits a little less frequently feels right.

…and now on to the orienting practice!

round one

start by taking a few moments to just look around the space you’re in right now and name any three things you see. so simple! the things don’t have to be fancy or meaningful or profound—you don’t have to like them or dislike them or have any feelings about them at all. while you’re looking around, try to turn your head and neck a little bit, as opposed to naming three things that are already in your line of sight. notice if that feels easy or difficult (there’s no right answer!). if it’s easy enough, feel free to try round two! if it feels difficult, consider taking a break. you can always come back to the practice another time. if sight is impaired, notice sounds or smells instead.

round two

this round will be slightly different, if you’re up for it. start by looking around the room just like before, but instead of naming any three things, see if you can notice some little details or imperfections—like a tiny crack in the wall or a faint scratch on the wood. this round might take a little longer. you might like it more or less than the first round. there is no right or wrong way to feel! if this round was a little interesting or calming, consider trying round three! if it’s a little activating or if you don’t like it that’s okay too. take a break for now, go back to the prompt for round one, or skip ahead to round three.

round three

this round is similar to the first two but also a little different. this time, instead of looking for three specific things to notice and name, just allow your eyes to wander and see where they want to go. give yourself lots of time and space to go slow and let your eyes lead the way. if they eventually feel drawn to something (you don’t need to know why or have a story about it), let your eyes land there for awhile and take in the color, the shape, the texture, or whatever it is that draws you in. how does it feel to give yourself permission to just look without an agenda? how does it feel in your body? which leads us to…

internal

if you’d like to try one more experiment, consider turning your attention to your bodily sensations. this can be more activating for some people, so you might want a support person with you. start by orienting externally. when you feel ready, turn your attention inward and notice any sensations (ie: feet on the floor, warmth of your sweater, ache behind the eyes)—you don’t have to like or dislike it or notice it very long. after a moment, bring your attention back to the external and notice something outside of your body. you might experiment going between external & internal a few times. eventually, you might notice that an internal sensation is different or changing when you check back in. that’s a good thing! it’s important to be able to notice how things change in our bodies.

changes

if possible, try to notice how you’re feeling before the orienting practices. then, after each round, check in and notice if anything feels different. orienting practices often bring a little calm & relaxation into the system (but sometimes the practice can feel activating or uncomfortable and that’s okay too). if the practice feels calming, try orienting when you’re feeling stressed, anxious, checked out, or overwhelmed. it can be hard to remember to orient in moment of high intensity, but the more you practice it the more it might start to happen automatically, without even having to think about it! over time, you might find that internal & external orienting changes how you feel in your body (hopefully for the better!).

if you’re the type of person who really benefits from practicing these kinds of things with a support person—let’s chat!

i’m currently taking new 1:1 somatic clients virtually & in-person (in madison, wi). here’s the link to set up a free zoom consult with me to learn more about logistics and if we’d be a good fit.

aaaand… i’m also feeling compelled to share a little personal experience, too. lately i have gotten so many wonderful emails with so many wonderful training programs (somatics, meditation, bodywork, energy work, death doula, etc. etc. etc.) and there are SO MANY THINGS I WANT TO LEARN. i read these emails and my learning brain starts drooling. i look at my calendar, my budget, i try to figure out how i could possibly squeeze in these programs and experiences. AND. i also know that right now is not the right timing for me to add anything else. i remind myself this over and over, delete the email, and try to remember that when it’s the right time for me to do XYZ i’ll find the program or mentor or whatever who will help me do XYZ.

i say this because i recognize that you might be reading this email, thinking OH somatic support is the next thing i need now now now! if there’s urgency around it, if it’s feeling like you gotta grab it now otherwise you’ll lose your chance, if it’s feeling like something you want but you already don’t have enough free time, it miiiiight not be the right time. AND. when it is the right time i’ll be here (or you’ll find someone else who is a good fit for your current moment needs!). i just want to take anyyyy urgency out of my offerings, because we’re all already doing too much and you are a wonderful, whole being just as you are right now. sound good?

know someone who might benefit from this info? please forward this along!

are you the friend who got forwarded the newsletter? please join us if it feels like a good fit—newsletters are sent 1x month around the first of the month.

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AI & Technology Statement: Zines, educational materials, workshops, and this newsletter will never, ever, ever include AI generated content or images. 1:1 sessions and group workshops are never recorded by AI and AI is never used for compiling session notes.