For years, I trusted my mind over everything else. Logic felt safe. It felt reliable. But it was also keeping me stuck at only 20% of what was possible.

I used to believe that if I could just think my way through my trauma, understand it logically, and manage my symptoms with enough mental discipline, I'd be okay. I spent years in that pattern of overanalyzing, over-rationalizing, living entirely in my head.

And then I learned something that changed everything: 

80% of our experience is influenced by subconscious information stored in our bodies, not our thinking minds.

This realization opened up an entirely new path of healing for me. Here are the five most profound shifts that happened when I finally got out of my head and into my body.

Why I Needed Logic (And Why It Wasn't Enough)

Let me start by saying: I don't regret relying on logic. For someone who grew up in a chaotic, unstable environment with a mentally ill parent, logic 

saved me.

When you're surrounded by erratic decisions, emotional abuse, gaslighting, and isolation, your rational mind becomes your anchor. It's the one thing you can trust when everything else feels unpredictable and unsafe.

In the modern Western world, we're taught to elevate logic above all else. We call it 'higher thinking.' Science, reasoning, and rational thought are seen as the pinnacle of intelligence, and while these are important skills, this overemphasis has done us a disservice.

After I moved out and went to college, PTSD set in hard. Nightmares, panic attacks, hallucinations, intrusive thoughts, dissociative episodes, the full spectrum. I sought help through traditional channels: therapists, counselors, pastors, community workers.

And while I found some relief, it only scratched the surface. Everything was about understanding and managing symptoms. The message I kept hearing was: 'This is as good as it gets. You'll learn to cope.'

But I refused to accept that.

The Science That Changed Everything: 80% Subconscious

I began studying stress, how it impacts the mind, the body, the heart, your health. I took every class I could find. And that's when I discovered the practices that actually helped me feel better.

The common thread? 

They all got me out of my head and into my body.

Here's what the research shows:

• 80% of our experience (how we feel, the choices we make, the relationships we find ourselves in) is influenced by subconscious information.

• This information is stored in our brain, muscles, heart, and gut, all of which have neurons that hold memory.

• These body-based memory stores can access information 

10 times faster than our thinking brain.

This was crucial for me to understand, because it meant that if I stayed stuck in my head (relying only on logic and rational thought) I could only ever access 20% of my healing potential.

To access the other 80%, I needed to reconnect with my body.

Getting Into My Body: The Practices

So I began adding daily practices to help me check in with my body.

At first, I felt ridiculous. I didn't know what I was doing. I couldn't 'feel' anything, and it seemed like nothing was happening.

But here's what I learned: 

stress severs the mind-body connection. I had spent so many years disconnected from my body that I literally didn't know how to tune in.

It took time and consistent practice, but slowly, the connection started to rebuild. I began to get clarity about:

• What I actually wanted (not what I thought I should want)

• What I genuinely needed (versus what others needed from me)

• Why I was doing what I was doing (and whether it aligned with my values)

The 5 Things That Changed When I Got Into My Body

1. I Reclaimed My Sense of Self and Developed My Own Personality

For most of my life, I wasn't able to access what felt right 

to me. I was so disconnected from my body that I didn't have a clear sense of my own preferences, boundaries, or desires.

Getting into my body allowed me to finally tune into my own inner compass. I started making choices based on what genuinely resonated with me, rather than what I thought I 

should do or what would keep others comfortable.

This was huge. It meant I could finally develop my own personality, my own authentic self.

2. I Could Show Myself and Others a Beating Heart

When you're living entirely in your head, you're often disconnected from your emotions. You might intellectually understand that you 'should' feel compassion or empathy, but you can't actually 

access those feelings in real time.

Getting into my body changed that. I was able to:

• Be more compassionate and present with the people I love

• Respond to myself with kindness instead of harsh self-criticism

• Experience better mental clarity and focus

I wasn't just thinking about emotions anymore. I was actually feeling them, processing them, and allowing them to move through me.

3. Less Physical Pain (Including Healing Chronic Migraines)

I used to suffer from chronic migraines. The kind that would knock me out for days at a time. And I healed them naturally.

I have a few theories on what helped, but some of the main factors were:

Less tension held in the body. When you're chronically stressed and disconnected from your body, you hold massive amounts of tension in your muscles, especially in the neck, shoulders, and back. This tension was directly contributing to my migraines.

Better body awareness around food. Being in tune with my body allowed me to notice when certain foods made me feel good versus when they triggered inflammation or pain.

Less stress and inflammation overall. Chronic stress creates chronic inflammation in the body, mind, and brain. Getting out of fight-or-flight mode and into a more regulated nervous system state reduced that inflammation significantly.

4. I Became Genuinely Happier

This one surprised me. I didn't expect that reconnecting with my body would lead to more contentment, but it absolutely did.

When you're living in your head, you're often making choices based on logic, obligation, or what you think you're 'supposed' to do. This leads to resentment, codependency, and a constant feeling of being out of alignment.

But when you're connected to your body, you can make choices that are actually aligned with what feels right for you. And that alignment creates a deep sense of contentment and happiness.

I stopped forfeiting my power to avoid someone else's discomfort. I stopped people-pleasing. I started living from my own center.

5. More Ease and Less Need to Control

This is the shift I didn't know I needed until I experienced it.

When you're stuck in your head, you're often trying to control everything. You're anticipating every possible outcome, planning for every contingency, white-knuckling your way through life.

Getting into my body helped me:

• Let go of the need to control everything

• Enjoy what is, rather than constantly trying to change or fix things

• Accept people who think differently from me without needing to convince them

• Experience less resistance and more flow in my daily life

This ease is priceless. It's changed the entire quality of my life.

If You've Been Living in Your Head, There's Another Way

If you've been trusting only logic, believing your mind is the only reliable thing you have, I get it. I've been there. Logic 

saved me. It gave me stability when everything around me was chaos.

But I also want you to know: there's 80% more information available to you in your body.

Your body knows things your mind can't access. Your body holds wisdom that logic alone will never find.

And learning to trust your body (learning to get out of your head and into your felt experience) might be the most important thing you ever do.

I'm still learning this. I'm still practicing. But it's changing everything.

Ready to Start Building Your Mind-Body Connection?

If you want to understand how YOUR body holds information and how to start accessing it, I have a free Skills for Resilience Assessment.

It helps you:

• Identify your nervous system patterns

• Understand how stress is showing up in your body

• Get specific practices to start building that mind-body connection

https://www.livingonpurposeconsulting.com/contact

Let's keep learning together.

Frequently Asked Questions About Mind-Body Connection

What does it mean to be stuck in your head?

Being stuck in your head means relying primarily on logic, rational thought, and mental analysis to navigate life, while being disconnected from your body's signals, emotions, and intuitive wisdom. It often shows up as overthinking, difficulty making decisions, feeling disconnected from your emotions, and experiencing chronic tension or stress.

How do I know if I'm disconnected from my body?

Common signs of mind-body disconnection include: difficulty identifying what you're feeling, chronic muscle tension you don't notice until it's severe, making decisions based solely on logic rather than how things feel, ignoring hunger or tiredness cues, and experiencing unexplained physical symptoms like headaches or digestive issues.

What are some simple practices to reconnect with my body?

Start with simple body scans: take 2-3 minutes daily to notice sensations in your body without judgment. Try placing your hand on your heart and taking 5 deep breaths. Notice physical sensations when making decisions ('Does this feel expansive or constrictive?'). Movement practices like yoga, dance, or walking in nature can also help rebuild the mind-body connection.

Can somatic practices really help with trauma and PTSD?

Yes. Research shows that trauma is stored in the body, not just the mind. Somatic practices help process trauma by allowing the nervous system to complete stress responses that got 'stuck' during traumatic events. This is why approaches like somatic experiencing, EMDR, and body-based therapies are increasingly recognized as effective trauma treatments alongside traditional talk therapy.

How long does it take to rebuild the mind-body connection?

The timeline varies for everyone, but most people begin noticing small shifts within 2-4 weeks of consistent practice. Deeper integration typically takes 3-6 months of regular body awareness work. Remember: stress severs this connection, so if you've been disconnected for years (as I was), be patient and compassionate with yourself as you rebuild.