Body Check, Scrunch and release

Checking in with your body regularly is a good way to become familiar with things. We are often outside of our own bodies and as such, we forget to check in until something pretty big is happening. Take time each day to perform a body check and then scrunch and release your stresses.

This activity tends to work best if you are sitting or lying but it can be done standing too.

Close your eyes if you feel comfortable doing so.

Try to acknowledge your environment without giving it too much attention. You may notice sounds and/or smells as you move through this exercise. Try to not ignore it but acknowledge it and let it go.

Start at your toes. Are they touching the floor? Are you wearing socks or shoes or are you barefoot? Can you wriggle your toes? Can you flex your feet? Spend a few seconds familiarising yourself with your feet and then move on.

Move to your knees. Are they bent or straight or hyperextended? Can you move your kneecaps? Can you bend and straighten your knees? How does it feel? Do they crunch?

Keep moving up your body. Acknowledge each body part. Notice how it feels. How do you naturally hold it? Can you move it? How does that movement feel?

Once you get to your head, take a moment for some square breathing.

Now, starting at the top, tense each body part in turn, think about any pains you may have noticed in your body check. Notice how they make you feel as you scrunch that part. As you release, think about the pain being released along with the tension. You may find it helpful to make a "whoosh" sound as you release. Do this from top to bottom, covering the same parts you did in your body check.

When you have finished, take a few more moments for some square breathing.