A healthy vagus nerve is the key to a regulated nervous system.
A problem “out there” can look completely different depending on the state of your nervous system.
Your thinking brain may create a story about the type of person someone is when you’re in your fight energy that may not be an accurate reflection of who they really are. You may have thoughts that they’re untrustworthy, wrong or bad. You may criticise and blame them. You may start arguments in person and online.
“Flight” energy may make you rush into making a decision before you’ve had time to think things through. You may say yes without knowing what’s going on, overcommit or agree to do something you don’t really want to. The urge of the sympathetic nervous system is mobilisation and you may feel you need to do more & go faster or you might miss out. What could serve you best is slowing down. You may be better off doing less, or maybe you don’t need to do anything at all.
“Freeze” energy may create a story that a situation is hopeless. You may be filled with shame and thoughts that there’s something wrong with you, or how you’ll never get the relationship, love, work or opportunities that you long for. The story from this state is often how your situation is hopeless and you’re stuck because this state brings immobilisation.
Perhaps you do have choices but the way your nervous system affects your thoughts and your levels of arousal influences you to believe that there’s no use trying. This can lead to extreme procrastination and avoiding things because they feel impossible to deal with. You may find yourself withdrawing from people and situations.
Autonomic awareness helps you to step out of these states and not only change the lens that you’re looking at a problem through, but also the associated thoughts, feelings and energy that lead to over-doing, anxiety & perfectionism, or extreme procrastination, lethargy and flatness. Each state is like looking through life through a different pair of sunglasses that prevent you seeing things as they really are.
Recognising that each state will change how you view people, environments and situations helps you find clarity and calmness again. It stops you rushing into things, becoming reactive and doing things you later regret. It also stops you putting things off for days and weeks that may not be as bad as what your nervous system has you believe.
Nervous System Regulation Empowers You
You’re empowered when you can take care of the needs of your nervous system and autonomously regulate it to the place where you make your best decisions. When you’re triggered into either fight, flight or freeze you lose access to the parts of your brain where innovation, flow and creativity happen.
When you come home to a regulated state via the vagus nerve, you see life without all the filters and noise. It helps you to see situations as they really are.
Differentiating between old triggers, wounds & urges that move you into fight-flight or freeze and those sensations that can bring an inner security and trust, help you live a life congruent with your values.
Your relationships will improve, you do your best work and you can live without the extreme ups and downs. You’ll find greater flow and ease.
You have agency when you recognise the energy, feelings and thoughts that come from each state and how they uniquely affect your nervous system.
Wisdom is knowing to regulate your own nervous system first if you can, and then take action or make a choice. Your future will be bright if you can choose to act from the place where you’re at home inside yourself.
If you’d like to learn more about regulating your nervous system and the vagus nerve, the Vagus Nerve Masterclass is coming up soon.