Agency
n. the state of being active, usually in the service of a goal, or of having the power and capability to produce an effect or exert influence.
(American Psychological Association, dictionary of psychology)
While the pace of life is increasingly fast with more demands, tasks and achievements to aim for, time often feels like slipping through our fingers.
Moments to pause, to catch our breath and check in with ourselves are rare when our minds are racing and our bodies try their best to keep up.
This is often the most common thread I find in the stories of my clients. They share feeling pressured to keep up with today's demands and feel lost. Some of them feel they are on constant motion and have lost track of what feels restful or soothing.
In our work together we leave space to experience what connection with their bodies can feel like when they allow themselves to breathe and feel.
They begin to sense how their nervous system reacted to stress and how their bodies have tried to keep them safe and keep them going.
We then proceed to look at what they have embodied from their experiences so far and they start to notice how their breath changes, how their posture begins to speak about daily tensions, and how emotions communicate through physical sensations.
The more willing they are to pay attention and listen to their bodies, the more they start inhabiting their bodies and emotions, finding home within.
And finding home within is where agency starts to happen. It's where we begin to gradually shift from the situations that caused tension or helplessness when they felt out of our control, and we start looking at the resources they have uncovered by going through the motions of life. These resources accompanied them, allowing resilience to resurface, allowing them to move towards reclaiming their life and strength.
Take a moment today to reflect on your natural state and the emotions you are most familiar with. How is your body feeling when you feel tired, worried or in need of control? What can you notice about your posture, how are your shoulders, your back? Does your voice change when you talk about your feelings?
Let yourself be informed by your body. Your response will be more accurate and based on your current state and needs.
Something begins to change here. We're no longer guessing. We are listening in, noticing what we might need.
Intuition is nourished and strengthened.
Ways to respond to demands are unlocked.
Capacity to be with ourselves and others increases.
Agency becomes a felt sense we can connect to.
