Reconnecting with Ourselves

(soft music) Headspace Studios. (gentle music) (rain pelting) Hi, everyone, it's Sam here. Welcome to Radio Headspace, and to Tuesday. I remember hearing about this fascinating study a few years ago that stopped me in my tracks. It was about how we begin to unconsciously think and behave like protagonists in novels we read. Researchers refer to this as experience taking, and it happens when we're able to forget about ourselves while we're reading, and then we begin to act like the characters that we're reading about. And this made me think of times I've heard people talk about losing themselves. Times when I've felt like I've lost myself have been times when I've ignored my needs and yearnings from within. They may have been urges to move my body, or get some quiet alone time, or commune with people who share my values. There have also been times when I've found myself participating in gossip about people in my life when I knew better. It left me feeling like I let myself down, like I forgot my values and principles in that moment. One of my favorite workshops to lead is on creating a personal mission statement. This was often a month's long process where we identified our values and thoughts about the things in life that truly brought us joy, and gave us meaning. I invited participants to read this mission statement daily, and place it somewhere in their house where they would see it every day. Meditation itself is another way to practice authenticity. We often see the pings of the day, the things that we said, or that others said, that didn't resonate with our values. In our meditation, we can inquire without any pressure asking ourselves questions, and then just watching what emerges without assessing it. One simple question I like to work with is how are you? And I check in with how I'm doing mentally, seeing if my mind is busy or quiet. And then I check in physically, feeling where there's pain and ease in my body. And finally, I check in with my emotions. Am I feeling sensitive, vulnerable, strong, or joyful? I also like to use the simple phrase here we are as I start a meditation. It's a way of greeting myself with love and appreciation. Grateful for the quiet check-in that I made time for. Even a few minutes of here we are time feels like energy I'm putting into my internal bank, energy that I'll need to reconnect with myself throughout the day. Another great way to reconnect with yourself is to go somewhere alone. Take yourself out to a movie, an art gallery, or a cafe to journal. This allows you to move and reflect at a pace that feels right for you. And if you're interested, my good friend and colleague Dora has a short mindful activity in the Headspace app called rooted in the present, and it helps you reconnect with yourself and the present...