7) I learned how to slow down

Like most of my clients, my nervous system has spent more time dysregulated than regulated. I used to be more familiar with the feeling of stress than I was with the feeling of peace – so much so that stress was often what felt safe just because it was familiar. This is often the result of unhealed / unprocessed trauma – we become somewhat addicted to the chaos and the crisis, and without our conscious awareness we tend to move hastily throughout our days as if we’re still under attack.

When our bodies move faster, our thoughts move quicker, and we experience mood swings that leave us questioning our sanity… When we’re on autopilot and aren’t mindful of how we’re moving we end up perpetuating a few things: 1) the subconscious feeling of being under threat (basically living in our trauma) 2) the need for stress in our lives – so many of us rely on stress as a source of energy or motivation. 3) we’re perpetuating nervous system dysregulation which can lead to burnout and the development of chronic pain and other chronic conditions that further impact our quality of life and our ability to engage in and with the things that matter to us.

 I’ve learned to take my rest and my peace seriously. Every time I notice myself rushing through a shower or housework or even my journaling I pause, take a deep breath in and slow breath out and return to the activity with less haste. Afterall, nothing is chasing me or timing me and 9.5 times out of 10 there isn’t a crisis. For trauma survivors, like myself, it’s important to be affirming our safety and reminding the brain that the trauma is, in fact, over.