The other night DH and I had the best date night ever — we saw Radiohead play at Madison Square Garden!

There was so much to love about this evening, but the best was being able to lose myself in the music which peaked during “Karma Police” when the sing-along from the crowd of 18k really drove the lyric in: For a minute there, I lost myself, I lost myself. For a minute there, I lost myself, I lost myself.

As I sang, deep in the dance, I realized  I wasn’t lost at all — I was in my body, 100% grounded in who I am. I was absolutely connected to myself!

So this idea of losing myself in the music was never really about actually losing myself. It was about going deeper into myself. I used the music to connect, or get back to being me.

Knowing which tools bring us deeper into ourselves is useful information. This awareness unlocks the ability for access.

So when I’m feeling disconnected, or lost- I know that a Radiohead show will bring me back. But unfortunately, for me,  everyday can’t be a Radiohead show. That’s just not reality. So I need to call on my tools, or practices, to bring me back to myself.

How I Get Back To Myself

• I’m very physical, so for me, my practices often involve some form of movement. I love dancing – not in a choreographed steps kind of way (in fact, I’m terrible at that), but just letting my body do its thing. I also do yoga, and most times feel like I’ve come home when I step onto my mat. Running is another one. But that’s not a guarantee. Sometimes, especially in the heat, I feel like I may die while on the running track. The gym can do it too. But the key to most of these practice is a killer playlist. Or Radiohead. (And this playlist of the exact set at Madison Square Garden is epic — yes, we really do geek out like that ? .)
• I write. The brain dump that occurs on my morning pages manages to clear out all the crap blocking me from my true self. I usually feel more connected after doing this.
• I meditate. This is something I’ve gotten into this year. Before that it never totally clicked…I always needed the movement to find the stillness. But now I can simply sit down, and relax into the breath. It’s not always a success, and I find the longer I give myself (usually 15 minutes) the better chance I have of making the connection to myself. And something greater.

How You Can Get Back To Yourself

You too have your things that bring you back to yourself. It could be a dress that automatically gives you confidence. Or it’s a song that takes you to that place of connection. Maybe you love cooking. Or hiking…nature is a great way to get back to yourself. It’s about engaging with the tool or practice at a deeper level, so extraneous thoughts fall away.

Start paying attention to the things that make you most feel like you. Notice what you’ve done to get to this place — was it finding alone time? A means to express yourself – like drawing or dancing? Become aware of all those activities, then do them.

How do you do it? What’s your go-to for connecting to yourself?

facebook: facebook.com/elyshalenkin
twitter: @elyshalenkin
instagram: elysha_nyc
Follow my blog with Bloglovin