All emotions have somatic counterparts. Trauma lives in the body long after the initial encounter. Back, neck, and shoulder pain; fibromyalgia; stomachaches and indigestion; migraines; chronic fatigue—after years of running at full-throttle, eventually your body just gets tired! Even if no one else notices it, you’re a member of the Walking Wounded, suffering in silence and winding down at the end of the day with cupcakes, cocktails, and too much Nextflix. If your physical functioning and/or nervous system has slowed down, it may be a sign that you need to slow down, too.
Overweight? BMI got you down? Fuck your number. A HAES (Healthy at Every Size) and body positivity advocate, Ani encourages you to explore what your body is actually telling you.
In our culture, women are socialized to be quiet and subservient. But women have rage, too, and rightfully so! Stop stuffing your anger down—externalize it, to move from sad hopelessness to empowered strength!