We’ve developed our IQ (Intelligence Quotient) through education and cultivated our EQ (Emotional Intelligence) through personal development. Yet there’s a crucial third intelligence that is a crucial skill to develop in today’s digital world: Body Intelligence (BQ).
What is Body Intelligence?
Body Intelligence is your capacity to listen to, interpret, and respond to the wisdom of the body. It allows you to:
- Sense when something feels “off” before your mind can explain why
- Recognize when stress is affecting your decision-making
- Know intuitively when to speak up or step back in crucial moments
- Navigate challenging situations with grounded confidence rather than reactive impulses
- Improve your overall health and vitality by learning and prioritizing healthy habits
Unlike IQ, which measures cognitive abilities, or EQ, which addresses emotional awareness, BQ focuses on the intelligence that resides in the body—a powerful wisdom that has evolved over millennia.
Why BQ Matters More Than Ever
In our screen-dominated world, we’re increasingly disconnected from our bodies. We spend hours hunched over devices, living in our heads. When we lose touch with the very vessel that carries us through life, it makes us feel disconnected, lost and overwhelmed and has profound consequences:
- Chronic stress and burnout: When we can’t feel rising tension in our bodies, we miss critical warning signs
- Poor decision-making: Without access to the intuitive wisdom of the body, we rely on limited cognitive abilities
- Weakened resilience: Embodied presence is the foundation of adaptability in unpredictable times
Women and BQ: Reclaiming Your Greatest Ally
For women especially, reconnecting with body intelligence is revolutionary. Our bodies have been judged, objectified, or treated as problems to be fixed rather than sources of wisdom. Yet our bodies hold incredible power when we learn to partner with them.
Through my work with thousands of women across four continents, I’ve witnessed tremendous transformation when women shift from seeing their bodies as obstacles to recognizing them as their greatest allies. This is not about physical fitness or appearance—it’s about accessing the deep knowing that resides in every cell.
Expanding Consciousness Through Body Intelligence
Perhaps most importantly, developing your BQ expands your consciousness in profound ways. When fully embodied, you gain the remarkable ability to:
- See the bigger picture: Your perspective widens beyond immediate concerns to recognize broader patterns and possibilities
- Deepen within yourself: You access inner resources that remain untapped when living solely in your mental space
- Maintain dual awareness: You develop the capacity to be fully present in the moment and aware of the larger context
- Stay centered in chaos: You can remain calm, logical, AND heart-centered even in times of confusion and upheaval
This expanded consciousness is not an esoteric concept—it’s a practical necessity in today’s complex and often overwhelming world. By reclaiming your BQ, you develop a form of intelligence that transcends purely analytical thinking while remaining grounded in tangible reality.
A New Partnership
Developing your BQ isn’t about adding another item to your to-do list. It’s about shifting from treating your body as a vehicle that carries your brain around to recognizing it as an intelligent partner in your journey.
In my bestselling book, “Embody: The Power of Presence in an Age of Distraction,” I guide readers through this vital shift—from living in our heads to inhabiting our full selves. The result is not just reduced stress and improved health, but a fundamental transformation in how we move through the world.