Why You Feel Emotions in Your Body—And What to Do About It
Your Emotions Live in Your Body Too
You probably know what anxiety feels like—not just the thoughts. The racing heart. The clenched jaw. The fluttery stomach.
Or how sadness can settle like a heaviness in your chest.
That’s not coincidence. That’s embodied emotion—and understanding it can completely change how you relate to your emotional life.
I didn’t always know this.
For years, I thought of myself as someone who was “good with emotions.” I could explain them, write about them, coach others through them. But it wasn’t until I started training in emotions coaching that I realised: I was living almost entirely in my head.
I could name a feeling. I could even quote research on it. But I wasn’t feeling it. Not really. Not in my chest, or my belly, or my breath. It was a cognitive experience. One that left me overwhelmed by emotions I wasn’t actually letting myself process.
That’s when I discovered what embodied emotion really means—and why it matters.
So… What Does ‘Embodied Emotion’ Actually Mean?
It means this:
You don’t just think emotions. You feel them.
Literally. Physically. In your body.
This isn’t just poetic—it’s backed by science:
Embodied cognition
Your brain and body work together to create emotional experiences. Your brain reads signals from your body (called interoception)—like muscle tension, heart rate, posture—and uses those to help you feel an emotion.
"I feel sad" = Your brain integrating body signals (slumped posture, shallow breath, heaviness) + memory/context.
Emotions as energy
Emotions are energetic experiences. Crying, laughing, shaking, sighing—these are physical discharges of emotional energy. If you don’t let it move through, it stays stuck in your system.
Why This Matters (Especially If You're Often in Your Head)
When we don’t allow emotions into the body—when we only talk about or think them—we disconnect from key tools of self-regulation and emotional clarity.
That disconnection might show up like this:
You overanalyse emotions instead of feeling them.
You get overwhelmed by “too many” emotions at once.
You struggle to explain how you feel, or can’t connect to the physical experience of it.
You feel exhausted, tense, or foggy without knowing why.
10 Ways to Reconnect with Your Emotions Through the Body
You don’t need to master this. You just need to start noticing. Try a few of these to begin:
1. Ask your body where the emotion is
Try:
“Where do I feel this in my body?”
“What’s the sensation—tightness, warmth, tension, fluttering?”
2. Breathe into it
Gently breathe into the area where you feel something. Let yourself stay with it for a few slow breaths, without judging it or needing it to change.
3. Name it—but stay curious
Instead of “I am anxious,” try “I’m feeling some anxiety in my chest right now.”
Let it be a process, not an identity.
4. Try movement as a release
Shake out your arms. Stretch. Walk. Sometimes the body needs to move emotion through before your mind makes sense of it.
5. Be aware of what you avoid
Ask: “Which emotions do I avoid because of how they feel in my body?”
Sometimes it’s not the thought—it’s the sensation we resist.
6. Don’t force clarity
Emotions don’t always show up with neat labels. Stay present to the feeling—even if it’s messy.
7. Use temperature and touch
Try a warm drink, a weighted blanket, a gentle hand on your chest. These can anchor you in your body when emotions feel too big.
8. Connect the dots
When you’re tense or tired, ask: “Is there an emotion I haven’t allowed myself to feel today?”
9. Use memory
Think of a time you felt confident, joyful, at peace. Remember how that felt in your body. Let that memory guide you back to that state.
10. Know this is a skill, not a flaw
If this feels unfamiliar, that’s not failure. It’s a sign you’re learning something new.
Three Things We Hope You’ll Take Away
Emotions are physiological, not just psychological.
When you feel cut off from your emotions, reconnecting with your body can help.
Small practices—like breath, movement, curiosity—can build emotional connection over time.
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You don’t need to think your way through everything.
Sometimes the answer is already in your body.
