{"id":1836,"date":"2025-03-07T19:02:59","date_gmt":"2025-03-07T19:02:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/riseupmassage.com\/new\/?p=1836"},"modified":"2025-03-18T04:44:45","modified_gmt":"2025-03-18T04:44:45","slug":"finding-steadiness-in-challenging-times-a-somatic-approach-to-engaging-with-the-world","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/riseupmassage.com\/new\/finding-steadiness-in-challenging-times-a-somatic-approach-to-engaging-with-the-world\/","title":{"rendered":"Finding Steadiness in Challenging Times: A Somatic Approach to Engaging with the World"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Finding Steadiness in Challenging Times: A Somatic Approach to Engaging with the World<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

In today\u2019s political landscape, many of us are grappling with how much to engage with the news, how much to step back, and how to balance awareness with self-care. I hear this from clients and friends all the time\u2014how do we honor our values of staying informed and empathetic while also tending to our own well-being?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the most important questions I\u2019ve been asking myself lately is: What do I know about myself now?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

With years of deepening my understanding of nervous system regulation<\/strong>, I\u2019ve come to recognize that my ability to engage with challenging issues is directly tied to my ability to first anchor in steadiness, safety, and connection<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before taking in the world, I need to first take in myself<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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A Somatic Check-In: Finding Your Center<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re feeling overwhelmed or uncertain about how much to engage with the news, social media, or difficult conversations, try this simple check-in:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  1. Pause & Orient<\/strong>
    <\/strong>\n
      \n
    • Look around your space. Name 5 things you see. Feel where you are in this moment.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Let your eyes rest on something neutral or pleasant. Let your breath settle.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Notice Your Body<\/strong>
      <\/strong>\n
        \n
      • Where do you feel sensation? Is there tightness, buzzing, constriction, or a sense of ease?<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      • Do you feel grounded in your seat or feet?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      • Ask Yourself:<\/strong>
        <\/strong>\n
          \n
        • Do I feel steady, open, and curious?<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
        • Or do I feel tight, activated, and tense?<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
        • Do I have the capacity to take in more right now, or do I need to tend to myself first?<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
          \n\n\n\n

          The 8 Cs of IFS: A Guide to Self-Connection Before Engaging<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

          To determine if you\u2019re in a good place to engage with the world, check in with these 8 qualities of Self-energy<\/strong> from Internal Family Systems (IFS). When we are connected to Self, we feel:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            \n
          • Calm<\/strong> \u2013 Is my nervous system settled, or am I agitated?<\/li>\n\n\n\n
          • Clarity<\/strong> \u2013 Am I thinking clearly, or am I caught in reactivity or confusion?<\/li>\n\n\n\n
          • Curiosity<\/strong> \u2013 Am I engaging from a place of openness, or am I locked into fear or frustration?<\/li>\n\n\n\n
          • Compassion<\/strong> \u2013 Can I hold my feelings and others\u2019 perspectives with kindness?<\/li>\n\n\n\n
          • Confidence<\/strong> \u2013 Do I feel steady in myself, or do I feel shaken?<\/li>\n\n\n\n
          • Courage<\/strong> \u2013 Can I engage with what\u2019s happening without collapsing or shutting down?<\/li>\n\n\n\n
          • Creativity<\/strong> \u2013 Can I imagine solutions, or do I feel stuck in hopelessness?<\/li>\n\n\n\n
          • Connectedness<\/strong> \u2013 Do I feel like part of something bigger, or do I feel isolated?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

            If you feel disconnected<\/strong> from these qualities, it may be a sign to pause, ground, and return to yourself first<\/strong> before engaging.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            \n\n\n\n

            Practices to Reconnect Before Consuming News or Engaging in Difficult Conversations<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

            If you notice that you feel off-center<\/strong>, here are a few somatic practices to bring yourself back to steadiness:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

              \n
            1. Press Into Your Seat<\/strong> \u2013 Feel the contact of your body with the chair or ground. Press down lightly with your feet. Take a slow breath.
              <\/li>\n\n\n\n
            2. Place a Hand on Your Chest or Belly<\/strong> \u2013 Feel the warmth of your own presence. Let yourself know, \u201cI\u2019m here. I\u2019m with myself.\u201d
              <\/li>\n\n\n\n
            3. Shake Out the Tension<\/strong> \u2013 Stand up, bounce lightly on your heels, shake out your hands. Let any stuck energy move through.
              <\/li>\n\n\n\n
            4. Humming or Sighing<\/strong> \u2013 A long exhale, a low hum, or even a gentle sigh can shift your nervous system into more regulation.
              <\/li>\n\n\n\n
            5. Touch Something Grounding<\/strong> \u2013 Hold a warm cup of tea, run your hands under cool water, feel the texture of something steady in your space.
              <\/li>\n\n\n\n
            6. Time Your Engagement<\/strong> \u2013 Set a timer for how long you\u2019ll read the news or scroll. Give yourself permission to step away when the time is up.
              <\/li>\n\n\n\n
            7. Close with a Ritual<\/strong> \u2013 After engaging with challenging content, bring yourself back with a slow breath, a sip of water, or a look at something beautiful<\/strong>.
              <\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
              \n\n\n\n

              Honoring Your Boundaries & Capacity<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

              The truth is, we aren\u2019t meant to hold everything, all at once, all the time<\/strong>. Our nervous systems aren\u2019t built for it. And just because we have access to an endless stream of information doesn\u2019t mean we need to take it all in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

              Some days, we have more capacity to engage. Other days, we need to step back, recharge, and care for ourselves so that when we do engage, we can do so from a place of steadiness and clarity<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

              Give yourself permission to choose when and how you engage.<\/strong> To step back when you need to. To step forward when you feel ready. To stay connected to yourself in the process.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

              \n\n\n\n

              A Final Question to Hold:<\/strong>
              <\/strong> As you move through this season, ask yourself:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

              Am I engaging in a way that honors my steadiness, or am I losing myself in the noise?<\/strong>There is a way to stay present in the world while staying present to yourself. May we all find the balance.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

              <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

              Finding Steadiness in Challenging Times: A Somatic Approach to Engaging with the World In today\u2019s political landscape, many of us are grappling with how much to engage with the news, how much to step back, and how to balance awareness with self-care. I hear this from clients and friends all the time\u2014how do we honor […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":1842,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1836","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/riseupmassage.com\/new\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/pexels-ketchumcommunity-2306823-scaled.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/riseupmassage.com\/new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1836","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/riseupmassage.com\/new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/riseupmassage.com\/new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/riseupmassage.com\/new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/riseupmassage.com\/new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1836"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/riseupmassage.com\/new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1836\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1846,"href":"https:\/\/riseupmassage.com\/new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1836\/revisions\/1846"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/riseupmassage.com\/new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1842"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/riseupmassage.com\/new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1836"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/riseupmassage.com\/new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1836"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/riseupmassage.com\/new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1836"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}