The Hormetic Power of “I Feel”-Proficiency

 

Completing “I Feel” with Proficiency

We often say, “I feel sad” or “I feel love,” but have you ever paused to ask yourself: Really? Where?

The truth is that every emotion we experience is grounded in the body. Without connecting to the physical sensations accompanying our feelings, statements like “I feel” are incomplete. This is where the “I-Feel”-Proficiency process comes in.

“I-Feel”-Proficiency is about becoming skilled at inclusively embodying our emotions—acknowledging not only the analytical labels we give to emotions (like “sad” or “love”) but also the objective sensory awareness (OSA) of where and how those emotions manifest in our bodies.

By integrating these elements, we not only complete the phrase “I feel,” but also engage in a powerful mindfulness practice. This process redirects energy away from subconscious reactivity and back toward healing, resilience, and growth.

And here’s the key: we don’t force the body to heal. Instead, we create the conditions for healing to occur, to the level that each body is ready and able. Just as you wouldn’t pull at a seed to make it grow faster, you instead nurture the soil, provide sunlight, and water it. Healing, like growth, happens naturally when the right conditions are present.

What Is “I-Feel”-Proficiency?

At its simplest, “I-Feel”-Proficiency is completing the phrase: I feel...

  • It begins with noticing how you feel—an analytical or emotional response (e.g., “I feel sad” or “I feel calm”).

  • It becomes complete when you also notice what you feel—an objective and sensory response (e.g., “a heaviness in my chest” or “a tingling in my hands”).

By practicing this integration, you build proficiency in embodying your emotions fully. Over time, this practice cultivates mindfulness, fosters self-awareness, and provides the energy your body needs to redirect toward healing.

Why Proficiency Matters

Practicing “I-Feel”-Proficiency is like learning the language of your body. It bridges the gap between the analytical and the sensory, making your emotional awareness complete. Here’s why this matters:

  1. It Completes “I Feel” Statements:
    Without including the physical sensations, emotional awareness remains incomplete. “I-Feel”-Proficiency invites you to deepen your connection to your body.

  2. It Nurtures Healing Conditions:
    Observing your sensations without judgment creates a mindful environment where healing can occur naturally.

  3. It Redirects Energy Toward Restoration:
    Subconscious reactivity drains energy. This practice reclaims that energy, allowing it to flow toward mental and physical healing processes.

The Hormetic Power of Small Steps

Healing doesn’t require grand gestures. The body thrives on small, manageable changes—a principle called hormesis. Just as a seed doesn’t require force to grow, your body doesn’t require force to heal. It responds to consistent, subtle cues that signal safety and balance.

For example:

  • Noticing a tightness in your chest when stressed can create a moment of awareness.

  • This awareness interrupts the cycle of automatic thoughts and feelings, redirecting energy to healing and restoration.

Over time, these small moments of awareness accumulate, building resilience and creating the conditions for healing.

How to Begin the Practice

Here’s how to start cultivating “I-Feel”-Proficiency:

  1. Pause and Ask:

    • How do I feel? (e.g., “sad,” “calm,” “anxious”).

    • What do I feel? (e.g., “a heaviness in my chest,” “a warmth in my hands”).

  2. Stay Curious:

    • Observe the sensations in your body without judgment or categorization.

    • Notice if anything shifts or remains the same.

  3. Repeat Regularly:

    • This practice can be as short as 30 seconds. The more often you practice, the more proficient you become.

Creating Conditions, Not Forcing Outcomes

The value of “I-Feel”-Proficiency lies in the practice itself. It’s not about striving for a specific emotional state, like calm or joy, but about creating the conditions for healing.

Much like in epigenetics, where environmental conditions shape genetic tendencies, our bodies thrive when provided with the right environment. By fostering mindfulness through “I-Feel”-Proficiency, you create that environment, allowing your body to direct its energy where it’s needed most.

Small Steps, Profound Impact

“I-Feel”-Proficiency is a practice of profound simplicity. By completing the phrase “I feel” with the inclusion of sensory awareness, you nurture your body’s innate capacity for healing.

For massage therapists, bodyworkers, and caregivers, this practice is a personal tool for resilience and a professional foundation for presence. It allows you to model mindfulness for your clients, fostering a space where healing can unfold naturally.

Your body already knows how to heal. Are you ready to help it grow?

Fernando Rojas LMT PhD