Nervous System Regulation
“I just had a moment of deep and profound gratitude for the amount of just peace, true, authentic nervous system regulation, and I'm just in awe of how amazing this feels.”
I was diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Finally, at the age 34, after years of medication, advanced degrees in Psychology, over a decade of professional experience in the field of behavioral health, many-many years of talk therapy— and powerful mind-body therapies, yoga, and somatic work, I no longer meet the diagnostic criteria for PTSD.
I was painting a mural in the Yoga room at Zenning, when I realized I was focused on a task that filled me with joy and I understood in that moment of mindfulness and presence, that I I just had a moment of deep and profound gratitude for the amount of just peace, true, authentic nervous system regulation, and I'm just in awe of how amazing this feels.
Now, some of you might be thinking: “Well, easy for you to be happy when you are your own boss” or “I would feel that too if my life was better” but the reality is we first must be regulated to ever successfully navigate through conflict or stressful situations, otherwise, our thoughts and emotions will rule us.
For more context into this event, I think it's important to note that not everything is wonderful and perfect in my life right now, I'm having some conflict with the love of my life, but I have such a level of acceptance and an understanding that I'm on my path. I'm doing what is in the best interest of me and my nervous system. I'm managing all that's within my management, and it's so relieving to not be attached to certain outcomes or other people's emotional responses, or how they manage and navigate through things.
I believe that a big piece and point of this writing is this: when we successfully manage our presence and our own reactions to situations, problematic or not, that's when we are in the driver’s seat of our life.
In closure, shit has been stressful, but I've been regulated. This is not a toxic positivity blog. This is an authentic look into my experience and the work it takes to arrive at peace.
This is what happens on a healing journey.
We become less reactive to other people's judgments, opinions, demands, and expectations,
helping us to be more rooted in our own presence.
This allows for more self-confidence and trust that our decisions are well thought out and not a reaction to an antecedent.
How do you regulate your nervous system?
Are you compromising in your relationships or are you standing on business?
Let me know in the comments how you regulate your nervous system, if you feel compelled to share or if any of this resonated with you.