When your nervous system is dysregulated, you feel anxious, reactive, and tense. You’re off—not centered, not inclined to make wise choices, not who you really are.
In the Self-Love Society this week, we’re doing a mini-series on regulating the nervous system.
Various practices are helpful in this endeavor, and they all have two key things in common. Broadly speaking, they all include:
1. slowing down or pausing
2. doing something physical to discharge tension and relax the body
Say, for example, you’re having a busy day and running from one task to the next.
The good news in this scenario is that you’re mindful enough to recognize that you’re dysregulated and stressed.
Here are two possible ways the above key points could play out…
Option A:
Pause. Stop running around for a moment.
Try a regulating technique like tapping, deep breathing, progressive relaxation, etc.
Option B:
Just slow down a little bit. Decrease your pace and…
Feel into your body and see where you can soften tension. Maybe your belly, your shoulders, your face… etc.
In either scenario, you 1) slow down or stop and 2) do something physical to help you reset.
I invite you to play with this when you notice you’re on edge.
This takes seconds, and it can completely reorient your nervous system.
It can bring you back to you.