When the Body Speaks...

What do you do when your body speaks?

One of my early talks on somatics and business in 2012 was entitled, “What Does the Body Have to do with Leadership?” Since that time, I’ve both lived and learned the answers to this question with determination, curiosity and delight.

As a young woman in a high-level corporate consulting role who had never been a C-Level leader herself, I didn’t know exactly what would compel a leader to get interested in the emerging conversation about embodiment – but I knew enough to know that the body itself was sorely missing in the lives of the men and women I coached.

Just what does the body have to do with leadership? And how does one open the door to their body’s wisdom in a way that feels relevant at work?‍

The truth is, the body speaks to us in both mundane and mysterious ways.

And unless we dedicate ourselves to listening, we’re likely to miss some important cues that could ultimately ignite our next level growth.

Why? Because the longer we live in judgment, opposition or disbelieve of our body-based instincts and intuition, the harder it is to decipher what they’re trying to say.

And the harder it is to decipher their messages, the easier it is to dismiss, tune out or judge them. This creates a not-so-virtuous cycle where we miss important doorways of opportunity. Which, in turn, gives our ego (the ruler of our self-sabotaging thoughts, mindsets, and actions) free rein to run the show under the rules of the old game.

The problem is... the body may not tell you in words what you need to know. And it might take the scenic route as it guides you to what’s good for you.

Here are a few examples,

• A client with a successful, multiple decade career in education recently shared about the increasing level of pain in her body, trying to make sense of what she could possibly be doing wrong. She’d been in flow, taking great action to move things forward in her work and life... and usually that meant less chronic pain. But not this time. When she finally completed her story she let out a huge sigh. “Honestly, I just want to take a week-long vacation at a spa and have somebody feed and pamper me...” And we both smiled. “So why don’t you?” I asked, sounds like the message is clear. Just then a flock of geese flew outside her window (which had some significance to her past). We realized she might need rest – but also, who knows? Perhaps another key to the resolution of her chronic pain would be revealed if she just put herself in the place she was envisioning.

• I had a hunch to turn right (instead of my usual left) when leaving the doctor’s office parking lot last Thursday night. Turning onto the next street I pulled up to the stop sign, stopped, started to go, then quickly stopped again as a truck flew through the intersection unexpectedly. Five seconds later, I felt the impact of another as it crushed my back bumper and trunk door from behind. TBH, my first thought was, “shit.” But within a breath I knew I was safe, the car was pretty ok, and the driver behind me was also unharmed. And instantly I realized that if I hadn’t been present to stop between these two vehicles, a much fiercer head on collision would likely have ensued. Thank you, body for placing me in the right place at the right time to make a positive impact on another human’s destiny. I also realized that my upcoming travels would allow just enough time to get the car repaired, with fairly minor inconvenience to my time.

• A client, who recently transitioned from corporate leadership to consulting, engaged in a visualization practice as part of one of our Guts & Grace program activities. She asked her body what she needed to know... and it showed her some of the ways she had not listened in the past. It felt important. Emotional. Like the opening of a door that could lead to a greater sense of aliveness. It also told her to “wear a poufy skirt.” When she told me this, we both laughed out loud. Just what could this possibly have to do with growing her business. But who knows. Maybe it makes her feel powerful... maybe her next client or business relationship starts in the drip line at Starbucks with “hey, that’s a great skirt!”

The body talks to us in both mundane and mysterious ways.... When it does, are you willing to listen?

These days, when I teach about embodied leadership, I’m more likely to say: try it on for yourself... than to explain. More than 70% of our interpersonal communication happens through the body. I believe this is also true when it comes to our communication with ourselves. Having access to this wellspring of information can radically enhance our ability to make decisions, to communicate and to lead.

If you’d like to increase your access to embodied wisdom or intuition in your leadership, I invite you to do an experiment with me this week.

It’s called: everything counts.

Begin to notice your sensations. Ask “what’s here for me?” Also notice your hunches. When you have an impulse of some kind, hold off dismissing it for a few extra minutes. Maybe even follow it.

You may find as you pay closer attention to these impulses, that you have some sorting to do. For most of us (especially if our practice of listening is fairly new) the messages come as a mix of genuine intuitions, raw body sensations without interpretation, and also thoughts that come from old habits or fears. At first, you may not know which is which.

But that’s ok. Step one is simply your willingness – training your body and instincts to believe that you are WILLING to suspend disbelief and try on listening.

At least once a day this week, when you catch an impulse in action, try going with your gut.

There’s no way to do it wrong. Take note of what happens,

and what you are learning.

Have fun!