We humans love to live inside our minds. We ruminate, stress, overthink, & expand knowledge there. Living in our minds is alluring as we feel like we hold the reigns of control over our life. The thing is, the mind likes to play tricks on us, turning up the volume on the inner critic, while ruminating on negative thoughts that distort reality & keeps us from seeing things as they really are. This can lead to feeling stressed, anxious, & even depressed.

Woman with long blue hair wearing a see-through black mesh top, and thigh-high leggings. Photo by Embodied Art Boudoir. Get our of your head, be present, body mind connection, connection, personal growth, expansion, wellbeing, wellness, live in the present, grounding, intentionality, experience, female photographer, classic boudoir, classy boudoir, colorado boudoir, denver boudoir, boulder boudoir, colorado springs boudoir

Sometimes, we focus so much on our thoughts that we forget about the body-mind connection. This can make us push down & ignore uncomfortable sensations & warnings our bodies are trying to show us: to slow down, to relax, to laugh, to breathe.

But in having this sense of “complete control” are you really relishing life? Why not enjoy our bodies more?

In changing frequencies & intentionally tuning into your body, you can develop a stronger sense of self, comprehend your emotions & even understand your character & values more. In connecting to your body, you allow your emotions & feelings to surface genuinely.

Okay. How?

Brunette woman sitting on bed, wearing a navy blue robe and nothing else. Photo by Embodied Art Boudoir. Get our of your head, be present, body mind connection, connection, personal growth, expansion, wellbeing, wellness, live in the present, grounding, intentionality, experience, female photographer, classic boudoir, classy boudoir, colorado boudoir, denver boudoir, boulder boudoir, colorado springs boudoir

Get Back to Your Body

It’s possible to increase the connection between the body & the mind & ground yourself by reconnecting to the physical world. You can become increasingly present, more engaged, & aware in the moment by strengthening the connection between your five senses & your mind.

It takes courage to really listen to your body. It takes even more courage to take action & give it what it is asking for. There’s no “one size fits all” approach to getting out of your mind, but here are some examples before I get into how this relates to boudoir photography:

Speak to your body. Your body is your earthly home, not a robot. Connect with it by asking things like: how does my body feel? What does the ground feel like? What do my clothes feel like? Am I feeling something that is uncomfortable? This will help you feel grounded & in unison.
Move your body. Focus on joyful movement that make you excited, not something that feels like a chore. Dance, walk, hike, box, swim.
Smell your favorite smells.
Run your hands through a variety of textures.
Recite a phrase, poetry, or song from memory.
Touch cold water or an ice cube.
Visualize a place that sparks joy.
Play with an animal.
Indulge in a warm bath or shower.
Give yourself a soothing massage or go get one.
Hug yourself or a loved one.
Take incredibly deep breaths.
Stand up & stretch.
Meditate.

Over time, you’ll be able to tap into soothing ways to move away from your consuming thoughts, gently ground yourself, and relax into the safety of your own body.

Black woman with braided hair standing looking up while holding her chin, wearing a navy blue body suit. Photo by Embodied Art Boudoir. Get our of your head, be present, body mind connection, connection, personal growth, expansion, wellbeing, wellness, live in the present, grounding, intentionality, experience, female photographer, classic boudoir, classy boudoir, colorado boudoir, denver boudoir, boulder boudoir, colorado springs boudoir

How to Get Out of Your Head & Into Your Body for Your Boudoir Shoot

Soooo how does this relate to boudoir photography?! SO much!

Pre-shoot jitters are completely normal & expected. What we don’t want, however, is for these nerves to turn into overthinking and panic that holds you back.

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If in the shoot your mind starts wandering & telling you things like, “Do I look stupid?” or, “I feel silly/awkward,” or “Am I trying too hard?” during your shoot: your mind lying to you.

I’ve learned a wide range of embodiment practices that I implore in every single shoot that supports everyone in swapping their overthinking for grounding in the present moment, properly feeling their body, emotions & finally, having their boudoir photoshoot experience.

Red hair woman standing looking to the side smiling, wearing a matching red bralette and shorts. Photo by Embodied Art Boudoir. Get our of your head, be present, body mind connection, connection, personal growth, expansion, wellbeing, wellness, live in the present, grounding, intentionality, experience, female photographer, classic boudoir, classy boudoir, colorado boudoir, denver boudoir, boulder boudoir, colorado springs boudoir

Every shoot at Embodied Art Boudoir starts with a pre-shoot meditation, called the Body Peace Meditation. I lead it, setting the intention towards relaxation, comfort & concentration. The guided meditation focuses on body neutrality, sending positive energy and happiness to your body with ZERO pressure to ever say you “love” any part of your body. I will meet you where ever you are on your always-evolving body journey.

Throughout the photo shoot, I am not only your hype woman slash professional poser, but I’ll help you embody your body. I will gently, even a little subconsciously, redirect energy back to breathing, and physical sensations through running hands over skin, lace, velvet, satin, cotton—all the different textures, to invite presence back.

Woman lying on bed in a purple string body suit. Photo by Embodied Art Boudoir. Get our of your head, be present, body mind connection, connection, personal growth, expansion, wellbeing, wellness, live in the present, grounding, intentionality, experience, female photographer, classic boudoir, classy boudoir, colorado boudoir, denver boudoir, boulder boudoir, colorado springs boudoir

I also encourage everyone to set an intention prior their shoot. You can learn more on how to do that here: How To Set A Positive Intention For Your Boudoir Session. This isn’t to scare you or make you do homework. It’s the opposite really, it’s to get the MOST out of your shoot.

Setting an tangible intention helps to remind your mind to remain present & to focus on the outcome you are after. Some examples of intentions you can set for your boudoir shoot include:

I intend to embrace my body for all its perfect imperfections
I intend to welcome this photoshoot with positivity & happiness
I intend to let go of my fears

While I will never ask you to share your intentions with me, if you want to share, amazing. Regardless, I will remind you throughout your session to consider your intention and why you stepped in the door in the first place. I will gently remind you to envision this and hone in on it. This will help you stay present rather than worrying about any intrusive thoughts trying to poke their way in.

Womans thonged bum, kneeling on bed. Photo by Embodied Art Boudoir. Get our of your head, be present, body mind connection, connection, personal growth, expansion, wellbeing, wellness, live in the present, grounding, intentionality, experience, female photographer, classic boudoir, classy boudoir, colorado boudoir, denver boudoir, boulder boudoir, colorado springs boudoir

Sometimes, when you’re not in your body & not in the moment, your mind turns to people pleasing, or performing. As if you have to please me or perform for me & be a “perfect model.” This is not about me! This is YOUR shoot. The only thing you have to do is be yourself & show off all sides of your personality.

If you’re still experiencing nervous doubts or questioning how you look, I regularly show you images in real time on the back of my camera. It’s a pretty exciting moment as I love watching my clients eyes pop & jaws open as they stare from me to the camera to me again, saying “Holy shit, that’s ME?!” Yes of course it is! You are a masterpiece.

Blonde woman sitting on bed wearing a white bodysuit. Photo by Embodied Art Boudoir. Get our of your head, be present, body mind connection, connection, personal growth, expansion, wellbeing, wellness, live in the present, grounding, intentionality, experience, female photographer, classic boudoir, classy boudoir, colorado boudoir, denver boudoir, boulder boudoir, colorado springs boudoir

All We Have Is Now

I will leave you with this quote:

“The present moment is all you ever have. There is never a time when your life is not ‘this moment’.”
Eckhart Tolle.

The transformation that happens when you step out your head and into your body is magic. To truly experience your boudoir photo shoot and life itself, is to feel and listen to your body and what it amplifies. When your mind and body are in harmony, you are in control.