Reconnecting with Your Body: Unleashing Your Sensuality
Before we dive into this week’s topic, I want to know how things went for you last week? Feel free to respond to this email or hop over to the chat and share with me and all of us! What sense did you choose? What did you do? What did you notice? Was there anything that particularly surprised you? Share your insights, your questions, and anything else you want to share about last week’s activity!
And now, on to this week’s topic!
As empty nest moms, we often find ourselves so caught up in the hustle and bustle of everyday life that we neglect one of the most important relationships of all – the one we have with our own bodies. But now, as the nest empties and a new chapter unfolds, there's never been a better time to reconnect with ourselves and unleash the full power of our sensuality.
So, how exactly can we go about reconnecting with our bodies and exploring our desires in a meaningful and fulfilling way? Here are some unique and interesting tips that go beyond the conventional advice:
1. Sensory Exploration: Take some time each day to indulge your senses in new and exciting ways. Experiment with different textures by running your hands over different fabrics or textures, or try blindfolded taste tests with exotic foods to awaken your taste buds. Open Spotify or your favorite music app and explore different genres of music and maybe even try out some new dance moves. If you’re shopping in a department store or other store with a perfume department, swing through and sniff a few new fragrances. The key to this, though, is not just doing these things. It’s paying attention to the sensations you have when you do them. It’s being present and noticing how they make you feel. What do you like? What do you not like? What makes you uncomfortable? What makes you want to relax?
2. Dance Therapy: I briefly mentioned music in the last tip, but this one is all about the tunes! Turn up the music and let your body move freely and uninhibitedly. Dance therapy is a powerful way to release tension, express emotions, and reconnect with your body's natural rhythms. Don't worry about getting the steps right – just let yourself be guided by the music and let your body lead the way. I had a coach who really encouraged us to do this and while I was a little skeptical at first, I quickly became a huge fan. One of my favorite suggestions she ever gave? When you’re feeling mad, turn on Taylor Swift’s “Shake It Off” and literally SHAKE IT OFF!! Just shake your body without worrying how it looks. Trust me, even if it looks crazy or weird, it FEELS amazing!!
3. Sensual Massage: Treat yourself to a luxurious sensual massage, either on your own or with a partner. Use aromatic oils (a couple of suggestions are a base of jojoba oil and either lavender or ylang-ylang essential oil) and gentle, rhythmic strokes to relax your muscles, soothe your mind, and awaken your senses. Pay attention to areas of tension and release, allowing yourself to surrender to the pleasure of touch fully. If you’re unpartnered and feel like a self-massage doesn’t allow you to fully relax, consider paying for a professional massage. While it may not have quite the same feel as the sensual massage, it will still give you the relaxation, release of tension, and as long as you stay present, you’ll be able to notice all the sensations.
4. Mirror Work: Spend some time each day gazing at yourself in the mirror with love and appreciation. Practice affirmations and positive self-talk as you look into your own eyes, reaffirming your worthiness and beauty as a sensual, vibrant woman. One of my favorite inspirational speakers for women, Gina Hatzis, suggests bridge affirmations. This means, if you feel like you’re lying to yourself if you say you love yourself or you think you’re beautiful, to use a bridge affirmation like “I love my (insert characteristic or body part)” or “I think my (insert body part or trait) is beautiful).” These allow you to say something that feels more truthful to you, which makes it easier to believe it. And before you know it, you’ll be truly loving yourself and owning that sensuality as you strut through the grocery store, the office, or on the beach!
5. Creative Expression: Explore your desires and fantasies through creative expression, whether it's writing erotic poetry, painting sensual images, or crafting a vision board of your deepest desires. Allow yourself to tap into your creative energy and express your sensual self in whatever way feels most authentic to you. This is a great time to explore new creative hobbies as well. Sculpting, handlettering, knitting, crocheting, or even exotic cooking could all be interesting ways to explore your inner self! How? By allowing your mind to wander a bit as you do the activity, you allow thoughts that you might usually ignore, push away, or simply not be aware of, to surface. This lets you get to know those thoughts, to explore them, and consider whether you want to take the thought from mere thought or fantasy to reality.
6. Sensual Self-Care: Integrate sensual self-care practices into your daily routine, such as taking luxurious baths with scented candles and essential oils, indulging in decadent chocolates, or treating yourself to a spa day. Pamper yourself from head to toe, honoring your body as a temple of pleasure and vitality. Remember that this body is the same body that lets you walk, talk, sleep, sit, hold hands, kiss, birth children, feel pleasure and pain and every other sensation there is, and so much more. It deserves to be pampered as a thank you for all that it does for you. And the more you pamper yourself, the more you’ll feel pleasure and vitality.
By incorporating these unique and interesting tips into your daily life, you'll not only reconnect with your body on a deeper level but also tap into the boundless wellspring of sensuality that lies within you. So go ahead, embrace the journey of self-discovery and let your sensual self shine!
Stay tuned for next week's newsletter, where we'll read some stories from other empty nest moms who are on or have been on the journey to rediscover their sensuality, as well as dive into the importance of exploring your desires and how to navigate this exhilarating journey with confidence and grace.
With love and excitement,
Wendy