I offended someone this week. As a recovering people pleaser, this would normally send me into a spiral. My brain’s survival mode would take over—ruminating, trying to fix things immediately, or place blame. In 2025, I had the privilege of learning how to regulate my nervous system—not just for my own health, but to meaningfully support my clients’ wellness journeys as well. While nervous system regulation includes rest, hydration, and sleep, its deeper work is teaching the brain and body to exit survival mode and enter thrive mode. Feeling misunderstood isn’t dangerous—it’s just uncomfortable Social friction perceived as "danger" directly affects cortisol and it's ability to return back to baseline resulting in disrupted: - Sleep - Digestion - Blood sugar - Recovery - Fat loss and muscle gain The shift that matters: Survival mode: “Make this feeling go away so I can feel safe.” Thrive mode: “I can feel this and still be safe.” Switch away from survival mode: “I caused discomfort” → “I am bad or unsafe” Re-establish thriving mode: “Someone experienced discomfort. That does not define my character or intent.” Pause before fixing. Stay with the body sensations. Slow the breath. Drop the shoulders. Treat this as nervous-system training, not therapy. Notice where this shows up for you this week.

I’ve never been a great sleeper, even as a kid. Part personality, part wiring. About eight years ago, I weaned myself off prescription sleep medications. Then perimenopause, along with my enjoyment of wine, added another layer of complexity to my sleep quality. Recently, I was talking with @Zona Lord and @Michele Hunt (Michele- Nicola also takes Magnesium Threonate in her sleep stack) about sleep and HRT, which prompted me to revisit some educational content- an interview with Mary Claire Haver and brain and performance specialist Louise Nicola. I am noticing women in their 70s who are not only under-muscled but also experiencing signs of dementia. This is sad. I would like to believe this is mostly preventable. Using NotebookLM, I created an infographic summary for you all. I double checked the accuracy. AI error Note: “BONF,” it should be BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor). I had to dig back into my pharmacy school biology brain for that one. Curious if any of this feels relevant to you right now. Let me know.

Use this thread to post your strength training videos! I will respond with form and technique audits 💪🏽. I can also go first!😉

In strength training, you’ll hear the word “progression” a lot. Progress doesn’t come from fancy or advanced moves. It comes from doing the basics better, safer, and with more confidence over time. Think less skyscraper… more strong foundation. It’s not sexy. And it works. 👇How often do you come back to the basics? - squat - wall sit - press - row - What do you notice now compared to when you started? More belief in your capability? Better control? Longer holds? Stronger reps? Drop it below ⬇️Your comment might be exactly what another sis needs to hear today. 💪🏽💛

Step 1: If you're a beginner, acknowledge that this is a new sensation. Your brain initially screams "stop" but it learns over time that the sensation is beneficial. Step 2: Complete enough reps where your last 3 reps feel 8/10 "hard" ... -feeling an intense burn -rep is slowing down and you don't feel like you can do another one with safe/good form -grimace/grunting occurs @Michele Hunt nails this type of intensity! Step 3: Choose a heavy enough weight where you can achieve 10 to 20 repetitions that fulfill the above conditions Step 4: Indicator that you are lifting close to failure means you'll have to rest at least a minute before safely starting your next set. Have you been lifting close to failure or is this a new concept for you? What tips do you need or can you share?