What shifted — even slightly — this week Integration doesn’t look dramatic. It often looks like: a slightly deeper breath less self-criticism a pause before reacting choosing rest without guilt These are not small things. They are signs that your nervous system is beginning to trust again. Take a moment and reflect: Did anything feel even 5% easier this week? Did you notice yourself being kinder to your body? Did you stop pushing at any point? If you want to share, you’re welcome to. If not, noticing privately still counts. Healing isnt loud its subtle and its real.

A gentle nervous system pause (no fixing) Today I want to offer something very simple. Not a technique. Not an exercise. Just a pause. If you can, take 30 seconds and notice: where your body is supported (chair, floor, bed) one place that feels neutral or okay one slow exhale (no forcing) That’s it. You don’t need calm everywhere. You don’t need relief. You don’t need to feel different. One neutral moment is enough to tell your nervous system: “I’m here. Nothing is being demanded of you.” That message matters more than you realise.

Many people unknowingly make things harder by trying to force calm. They tell themselves to relax. They push themselves to feel grateful. They try to think positively. But pressure — even self-imposed pressure — feels very similar to threat to a nervous system that has lived in survival. When your body senses pressure, it doesn’t settle. It braces. Calm is not something you achieve through effort. It’s something your nervous system learns through repeated experiences of: predictability consistency low emotional demand not being judged for how you feel This is why healing often feels slower than we want. Because safety has to be proven — not declared. If you’re not calm yet, that doesn’t mean you’re failing. It means your body is still learning. And learning takes time.

What “unsettled” actually feels like in your body Instead of asking “Why am I not calm?”, I want to invite a gentler question today: How does unsettled show up for me? For some people it’s tension in the chest or jaw. For others it’s exhaustion, numbness, or irritability. For some it’s constant thinking or difficulty resting. There is no correct answer here. We’re not trying to label or fix anything. We’re simply learning how your nervous system expresses itself. If you feel able, take a moment and notice: Where do you feel it most? Is it constant or does it come and go? Does it change depending on who you’re with or what you’re doing? You don’t need to post details unless you want to. Even noticing privately is enough. Awareness without pressure is regulation.

A lot of people come into this space thinking they should already feel calmer. You’ve left. You understand what happened. You’ve done the thinking. So when your body still feels unsettled, it’s easy to assume something isn’t working. I want to slow that story down. Your nervous system does not calm down because you know you’re safe. It calms down because it experiences safety — over time. For a long time, your body learned to stay alert in order to survive. That meant scanning for changes. Managing emotional shifts. Preparing for the next thing that might go wrong. That level of vigilance doesn’t just switch off. So if your body still feels on edge, tired-but-wired, flat, or restless, that isn’t failure. It’s a nervous system that hasn’t yet learned it’s allowed to stand down. This week isn’t about fixing that. It’s about understanding it — without judgement. Nothing is wrong with you. Your body is doing exactly what it learned to do.