COMING HOME TO YOURSELF

Why do so many successful women still feel empty?

A lot of people seemingly have it all – the career, the house, the car, the relationship – and yet, something still feels off. They’re exhausted, unfulfilled, and wondering, “Is this really it?”

At one of my recent events, a woman shared this:

“I’m in the job I was praying for a year ago… and I still feel disconnected from myself. I thought this was what I wanted. But now that I’m here, I feel so lost.”

I’ve heard this story in different words, over and over. Maybe you’ve lived it too.
So why does this happen?

The answer isn’t more doing. It’s deeper knowing.

Modern neuro‑imaging offers a clue: A recent study from 2024 showed that when our self-concept is unclear, life starts to feel foggy, no matter how shiny it looks on the outside.
The study suggests that the clearer you are on who you truly are, the more grounded and fulfilled you feel – because your goals aren’t just achievements, they’re aligned with your soul.

This is why the first step in the Align & Thrive journey isn’t hustle or healing. It’s coming home.
Coming back to you.

Your body already knows the way.

What if your home wasn’t a place… but a feeling inside your own body?
When you slow down enough to actually notice your breath, your heartbeat, your inner rhythm – something shifts. Science is now showing what ancient traditions have always taught: the more connected you are to your body’s signals, the calmer, clearer, and more confident you become.

This isn’t about long meditations or perfect routines. It’s about little rituals that bring you back to yourself.

Here are three simple practices to try this week – each backed by neuroscience, and designed to reconnect you to you:

Three Science-Backed Rituals to Start Coming Home

1. The 60-Second Body Scan

Pause. Close your eyes.
Without trying to change anything, notice five sensations:
Can you feel your heartbeat? Warmth in your hands? The rise of your breath?
This simple check-in trains your brain to listen to your inner world and starts building the bridge back to your true self.

2. The “Default Mode” Pause

Set a timer for 5 minutes.
Stare out the window. No music. No scrolling. Just… nothing.
This gives your brain a break from the mental traffic jam that keeps you in overthinking and self-doubt. It invites presence. And presence is where your soul speaks.

3. Vagal-Tone Humming

On your next exhale, hum softly with your lips closed.
Do this for 10 rounds, slowly and gently.
It may feel silly at first, but it activates your body’s internal safety switch. You’ll feel it—your shoulders drop, your breath deepens, your mind softens. That’s home.

It’s not that you’re broken. You’re just disconnected.

If you’ve been feeling like a stranger in your own life, you’re not alone.
You don’t need to blow it all up.
You just need a way back.

This week, we begin. One breath, one moment, one small practice at a time.

Try this today:
→ Pick one of the rituals above and do it before bed tonight.
→ Then journal: What does “home” feel like in my body right now?

And if you’d like some gentle guidance, listen to this week’s mini podcast:
“The Science of Coming Home to Yourself” – available now.

You don’t have to find all the answers.
Just come home to yourself.

You are your own safe space.
Welcome back.

Put it into practice this week

1 – Journaling Prompt – “Where in my body do I feel most like me right now?”

2 – IG Challenge – Share a photo of your “homecoming corner” (a chair, a mat, a beach) and tag #ALIGNbyHB.

Studies

Babiy, Z., Frey, B. N., Bieling, P. J., McCabe, R. E., & Green, S. M. (2025). Mindfulness-Based Interventions and Neuroplasticity: A review of network connectivity in healthy and clinical samples. Mindfulness. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-025-02549-0

Chen, Z., Jin, L., Hao, H., Zhao, Y., Joyce, R. L., & Lyu, H. (2024). The relationship of self-concept clarity, future time perspective, grit, and life satisfaction among Chinese adolescents: A cross-sectional and longitudinal study. Personality and Individual Differences, 230, 112781. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2024.112781

Tymofiyeva, O., Sipes, B. S., Luks, T., Hamlat, E. J., Samson, T. E., Hoffmann, T. J., Glidden, D. V., Jakary, A., Li, Y., Ngan, T., Henje, E., & Yang, T. T. (2024). Interoceptive brain network mechanisms of mindfulness-based training in healthy adolescents. Frontiers in Psychology, 15. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1410319