Being present in the body is a homecoming, a re-inhabiting, an opportunity to return to and reengage with ourselves. Attuning to the present moment, most often through our bodily senses, we experience the delight and beauty of being alive.   Learn more about Kristen Manieri and coaching: Kristen@kristenmanieri.com KristenManieri.com   Host Bio Kristen Manieri is a coach who works with teams to increase both productivity and wellbeing. She also helps individuals navigate transition with clarity and confidence. Her areas of focus are: stress reduction, energy management, mindset, resilience, habit formation, rest rituals, and self-care. As the host of the weekly 60 Mindful Minutes podcast, an Apple top 100 social science podcast, Kristen has interviewed over 200 authors about what it means to live a more conscious, connected, intentional and joyful life. Learn more at kristenmanieri.com/work-with-me.    Coaching If you’ve ever considered coaching, or if you’re feelings stuck or you’re about to make a big transition, reach out to me and we can talk about how I can help you navigate what’s ahead with more confidence and clarity. You can reach me at Kristen@kristenmanieri.com.   Full Transcript Wherever you go in life, whatever you do, one thing is for sure: your body will be there with you. The relationship between ourselves and our bodies is our primary connection, so it makes sense that on our journey to cultivate more mindfulness, we begin with habits that support us in being more present with the body. Much like a mother attunes to her baby’s needs, we too can orient our attention inward to discover what nourishment or nurturing the body might be quietly asking for. Through the process of becoming self-attuned, we learn to become our greatest ally. The body houses a tremendously helpful alert system for navigating our needs, thoughts and emotions. For me, a 60-second check-in provides boundless intel about my inner world. I close my eyes and sense that I’m thirsty, a little tight in my mid back from being at my computer all day, and I’m feeling residual frustration from a conversation I had this morning. What was lurking below now floats to the surface to be tended to or guided by. Being present in the body is a homecoming, a re-inhabiting, an opportunity to return to and reengage with ourselves. It’s where we quite literally come to our senses, or what Jon Kabat-Zinn calls “falling awake.” Attuning to the present moment, most often through our bodily senses, we experience the delight and beauty of being alive. Of course, some of us may encounter physical or emotional pain as we look inward, which can make tuning into the body uncomfortable and confronting. Through mindfulness, we can begin to cultivate a friendliness, or at least a sense of solidarity, toward what’s happening inside, even if we don’t like it. As we turn towards ourselves and create habits of fondly tending to and accepting our body—its shape, sensations and stages—we turn resistance, struggle and aversion into acceptance, compassion and love. You are experiencing life with and through your body; it’s a faithful and enduring companion. The practices I’m going to share today will support you in creating a mindful body connection. We reap what we sow. When we fill up our tanks and refuse to run on fumes, we begin to tap into endless resources that not only give us what we need to do our work in the world but also to stay steady when the unpredictable winds of adversity inevitably blow our way. Healthy habits that attune us to our inner worlds provide the gateway to better self-care and a sense of harmony with ourselves. Mind-body connection isn’t just a spiritual pursuit; it’s an incredibly pragmatic practice. Imagine driving a car without a dashboard. You’d never know the status of your speed, gas, tire pressure or oil. Thankfully, your car has gauges for all of these key metrics, which allows you to care for your car and keep it running. You too have a dashb