As I went through airport security, excited about the training I was about to attend, I noticed how much pressure I felt to get through as quickly as possible. It didn’t matter that there were very few people in line or that I had plenty of time. My inner voice (and the survival part of my brain) urged me to go faster.
Being present is something I try to practice. In that moment, I realized I was a little bit dissociated.
I took a deep breath and my shoulders dropped. As I became aware of my body again, the pressure melted away. I was able to slow down and feel OK about it.
How does this happen?
When our brain perceives a threat (like not moving fast enough), our subconscious survival brain goes into action and shuts down the thinking part of the brain. (That’s why it’s so hard to think straight when you’re scared or there’s some sort of social pressure put on you.)
If you want to make thoughtful choices and smart decisions, address the subconscious survival part of your brain and its automatic fight, flight, freeze, or fawn reactions.
The best way to do that is to pay attention to the body, its signals and sensations.
But… this doesn’t happen automatically–and certainly not in the middle of a crisis or threat. Practicing —ahead of time–is essential.
There are simple applied neurology tools and specific gentle intentional movements of the body that allow you to practice calming and regulating your nervous system when the stakes are low. They engage your brain to slow down the automatic reactions of the survival part of the brain and strengthen the connections between the thinking and feeling parts.
This means less reactivity and more considered responses–even when you’re under more pressure. You can expand your capacity for handling tough situations and get better at handling them.
To think differently and better, we need to pay attention to the subconscious brain that is our body and how it works with the thinking part of our brain.
The good news is it’s trainable. 🙂
Are you ready to unlock the power of your brain-body system and revolutionize how you navigate life’s challenges? Join me for a six-week workshop designed to help you understand, regulate, and harness your nervous system for profound personal growth.
This transformative journey offers important insights into your stress responses and emotional patterns that you’ve never even noticed. You’ll learn practical body-mind calming techniques, explore thought-emotion-sensation connections, and find ways to break free from patterns that no longer serve you. Gentle movement exercises will enhance emotional awareness and your ability to shift your state when needed.
We’ll finish up just in time for you to use your new tools during the holidays.
All the info can be found here.
The Trip Home
On the way home, I got a later start to the airport than I was comfortable with–cutting it close! However, I experienced none of the anxiety of the first part of my trip. The big reason was that I’d spent the weekend practicing my neuro drills at the training. I was more aware of my body and my emotions and could slow down my thinking, stay calm, and not be reactive.