Nothing that a good bath with water can't regulate

I have always had moments in my life when I feel overwhelmed for different reasons. When I got married, there were a couple of times when I also felt overwhelmed by my emotions and by life itself. I remember that my husband used to tell me, sometimes seriously and sometimes jokingly, that everything would pass with a good bath, and I honestly got a little annoyed by that because, in my opinion, a bath wouldn't make any difference.

And although it pains me to admit that my husband was right and I was wrong, the truth is that what he said was true. When you feel mentally overwhelmed, a good bath can make a big difference. I can even say that it's one of the things that has worked best for me to calm down when I feel strong emotions. In addition to this, it has become a moment when I am fully aware of what I am doing.

So, for quite some time now, bathing has become something different for me, a way to return to myself and be aware of my feelings and everything else. So, if time allows, I stay under the water for a while, feeling it fall on my head as I close my eyes to appreciate what my body is capable of feeling.

I feel that a good shower greatly regulates the way I feel, but in addition to that, it also helps me feel clean. So yes, it's one of the simplest things, but it's significant because of its effect on me. I'm not going to lie, when I have so much on my mind, the last thing I want to do is get wet, but I do it anyway because I know the result will be positive. Even though my problems don't magically disappear, I feel like it's the most natural way to focus on what your skin feels and let go of what's on your mind.

For me, this action also means having a clearer mind to think. I'm sure many other people do this, but when I'm showering, I can reflect more easily on something specific, and I do it because my mind feels free to do so. But it's also something that, when done consciously, can help you be present. Because even though I have to force myself at first to feel the water and everything else, the change it causes in me is quick.

Of all the things I can do in my daily life that could be considered a kind of "ritual," I would choose this one because no matter how I feel under the water, it helps me be aware of what I am feeling and, beyond any distraction, it makes me be present. And obviously, like everyone else, when I get out of a good bath, I always feel very relaxed and my mind is a little clearer so I can think. I can't spend hours bathing because I would waste a lot of water, but the minutes I do spend are super important because each one is valued.

So I could say that if I had to choose just one thing to regulate my nervous system and to have a moment alone with myself, where I can feel my skin and not feel so much in my mind, I would choose something as simple as being underwater, because I know for sure that when I get out, I will not only be wet, but also calmer and freer to think clearly.

I really like this because, although it is something very small and part of our lives, and sometimes we do it out of sheer inertia, it is also something that your whole body feels, and that makes what is in your mind take a back seat. So now, like my husband, I say that there is nothing that a good bath cannot calm, even if only a little, and I practice it because I know that in a bath everything comes together, no matter where it is, both the sensation and the sound.