In this episode of Owning Pleasure As A Black Woman, we explore how your body physically tracks and responds to holiday stress—even when your mind is trying to convince you that you're "fine."

I break down the science of why your body keeps score, identifies the most common physical stress signals during the holiday season (from jaw clenching to immune system crashes), and provides practical tools for moving from overriding your body's wisdom to actually listening to it.

Tune in as we discuss the mind-body connection, inherited patterns of stress response, and what it looks like to build body trust when you've been taught to push through no matter what.

If you're experiencing unexplained physical symptoms, chronic exhaustion, or wondering why your body seems to "betray" you during the holidays, this episode will help you understand what's really happening—and how to respond with compassion instead of shame.

Why Your Body Keeps Score

• Your body and mind aren't separate systems—your body is literally processing and storing emotional experiences in real-time through your nervous system
• Survival mode (sympathetic nervous system activation) was designed for short-term threats, but holiday stress keeps you activated for weeks or months, creating chronic physical symptoms
• Black women often inherit patterns of overriding body signals from ancestors who needed to suppress their needs for survival—these aren't personal failures but generational patterns

Common Physical Stress Signals

• The Tension Trio: Jaw clenching (from suppressing what you want to say), shoulder tension (from carrying burdens that aren't yours), and digestive issues (from chronic nervous system activation)
• Sleep and energy disruption aren't about lack of sleep—they're about your nervous system staying in survival mode even when you're lying still
• Getting sick after the holidays isn't coincidence—it's your immune system forcing the rest you won't give yourself permission to take

Moving to Body Attunement

• You override your body because you learned that worth comes from productivity, not wellbeing—and for Black women, displaying vulnerability could feel dangerous
• Building body trust requires separating sensation (data) from story (judgment): "I feel tired" versus "I shouldn't be tired"
• Thank your body for giving you information instead of seeing signals as inconveniences or failures

Practical Tools

• The Body Wisdom Check-In: Four-step practice of pausing, scanning, asking what your body needs, and responding (not overriding)
• Create a Seasonal Stress Response Plan with your primary stress signals, response menu for each signal, daily non-negotiables, support system, and built-in recovery time
• Set three daily alarms for body check-ins—it takes less than two minutes but creates a pattern of listening instead of overriding

Ready to get inspired? Hit play to discover what your body is trying to tell you, why pushing through might be making things worse, and how to build a relationship of trust with your body's wisdom this holiday season!

Join Our Email List: Be the first to know about upcoming episodes, special offers, and more. Get your free 7-Day Self-Care Reset (with Day 4 focused on body reconnection) at javerywellness.com/reset.

Get Started with Therapy: Ready to reconnect with your body's wisdom and break free from patterns of pushing through? Complete an intake form at