Many of us have noticed times when our heart was racing, our shoulders tightening or our stomach feeling uneasy before we fully understood what was bothering us. Our bodies can respond to stress before we have fully identified what we are feeling.

Our nervous system is always taking in what is happening within us and around us. During stressful moments, the body can automatically shift in ways that prepare us to respond. Heart rate and breathing may change. Muscles may tighten. Some people notice changes in sleep, energy, digestion or concentration.

Sometimes we recognize the emotion right away. Other times, the physical reaction gets our attention first.

Strength can be something we are proud of, and it can also be something life has required of us. When we spend years reading the room, carrying responsibility or keeping it together, we may not immediately recognize how much we have been carrying. In families and communities where strength, perseverance and caring for others are deeply valued, making room for our own emotional experiences may not always come naturally.

How we respond is personal. What we have lived through, what is happening in our lives now, and the people and environments around us can all shape how a moment feels. Something one person experiences as manageable may feel very different to someone else.

These responses also do not happen outside the world we live in. Culture, identity, family and community matter. Code-switching, carrying family responsibilities, feeling watched or evaluated, or feeling pressure to keep it together can contribute to stress, even when those experiences have become familiar.

Having a strong reaction does not automatically mean something is wrong. It also does not necessarily mean that what happened was traumatic. People can live through similar events and respond in very different ways.

Rather than immediately judging a reaction, there can be value in becoming curious. We can consider what changed, what we are noticing in our body, what’d happening around us or if there is something about this situation that feels familiar.

We are whole, complex people, and our emotional well-being is connected to more than our thoughts. Our bodies are part of our story, just like our relationships, communities, identities and the experiences we carry with us. Sometimes, understanding ourselves begins with noticing what is happening in our bodies and giving ourselves space to consider why.

A Space For Us Counseling, Inc., is located at 535 Monmouth St., in Gloucester City, NJ. For more information or to arrange for a free  consultation, call 609-920-3848 or visit www.ASpaceForUsCounseling.com.