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“Your body keeps the score." - Bessel van der Kolk
My body has a way of telling me when something’s off. I often ignore it, but lately, it’s been loud about it.
My seborrheic dermatitis got so bad that I shaved my head twice within four months just to fully treat my scalp. My face and scalp flared up worse than it had when I first got diagnosed in 2007. Then came the stiff neck, the insomnia, and what I thought were seasonal allergies; constant respiratory and nasal issues that just wouldn’t go away.
After months of chasing symptoms, I finally sat down with a mental health professional and discovered the truth: anxiety with a dash of depression.
I had been calling it “stress,” like many of us do, but that word was just a mask for what was really happening underneath.
If you were raised anything like me, you might’ve been told that these things are “a trick of the enemy” — something to pray away. And trust me, as someone raised in the Church of God in Christ, I know the power of prayer. But I also know the scripture that says, “Faith without works is dead” (James 2:14).
For me, that “work” looked like listening to my body. Paying attention to what felt off. Acknowledging what I’d ignored. And doing something about it.
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🎥 Watch This:​
​“Mental Health is Declining and Black Women Are Hit the Hardest” — Dr. Keita Joy
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Dr. Keita Joy is a licensed therapist and executive coach who speaks with honesty and fire about the mental load Black women carry. In this TEDx talk, she unpacks how cultural expectations, perfectionism, and unhealed stress are taking a toll on our mental health; and why it’s time to prioritize rest, healing, and self-awareness without guilt.
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Ties to Emotional Intelligence
Emotional intelligence isn’t just mental, it’s embodied awareness.
Your emotions show up in your body long before you speak them out loud. The tight chest. The shallow breathing. The migraines. The exhaustion that sleep can’t fix.
Learning your emotional triggers and listening to your body’s cues can help you release the stress your body has been carrying.
Next week I'll be sharing the many values of emotional intelligence assessment and how you can learn more about yourself and your emotions.
✍🏾Journal Prompt
When was the last time your body told you something your mind didn’t want to hear?
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💪🏾Challenge Yourself
Pause today. Notice what your body feels like in this moment; your breathing, your posture, your tension. Ask yourself: What might this be trying to tell me?
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💅🏾Affirmation
I honor my body as my first messenger — not my last resort.
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Final Word
Self-awareness starts with body awareness. Put yourself first for a change. Pay attention to how you feel, emotionally and physically, then act on it.
With love,
Ingrid
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