Could it be the case that, just as we read others through their "body language", we process our experiences of ourselves through our bodily states? What if we are continuously reading our own body language and internalizing what we're reading as our self-image, self-concept, and self-esteem?
Most of us are familiar with the cognitive framework in which what we think influences how we feel. There is undeniable importance to this perspective. If we immerse ourselves in negative self-talk, it's inevitable that we will feel anxious, depressed, frustrated, and resentful. Equally important is the observation that we are much more likely to lapse into negative self-talk when we lack energy and vitality.
Suppose we are trying to grow a beautiful garden. We could select the best flowers and plants and plant the best seeds we can find. Ultimately, however, the garden will not thrive unless we attend to the soil and water. What is good for the roots ultimately shapes the beauty of the flowers.
Most psychology is "top-down": change your behavior by changing your mind.
What if, however, we are more like the garden and need to grow from "bottom-up"?
The important insight in the above quote is that "we are continuously reading our own body language and internalizing" our experience. Is there a relationship between how we move our bodies and our mood? Our energy level? Is there a relationship between how we breathe and how we experience the world? Is there a relationship between the strength and flexibility of our bodies and our overall energy level and life perspective?
When we are trapped in negative habit patterns, might those be the result of our imprisonment in routine physical states?
Can we expect to have a fresh and energized trading psychology when our bodies are sitting inertly for hours at a time, staring at screens?
If we want to change our mindset, perhaps the most important question is, "What can I be doing right here, right now, to produce the mindset I want?" We change by doing. We become our experience: that is our water and soil.
Further Reading:
Using Our Bodies to Program Our Minds
Renewing Mind by Renewing Body
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