I heard the best analogy the other day, when someone throws a rock into your pond. Who's responsible for the waves it created? When someone throws rocks at our peace, it is our responsibility to control ourselves, it's the only thing we can control. When we start doing the work of nervous system regulation and shedding any/all forms of victimhood, we become radically responsible for ourselves. Once we learn how to control ourselves, our emotions and therefor our output into the world, everything changes. What are some of your favorite analogies OR how did this land with you?

Studying the nervous system and applying it to real life are two very different things. This morning I had the chance to get activated by my 16yo daughter (it surprisingly doesn’t happen often anymore) but today she was frustrated and slammed a door. Something she has NEVER done before. I immediately went into dorsal. This is where application meets real life. I took a breath, thought through what had her sooo upset. Realized she had a domino effect happen this morning and then felt unheard by me. I was brushing my teeth with an electric toothbrush, so I couldn’t hear her asking for my help with a bandaid. So after taking a few breaths and working through how we both can find peace, I went to her room and spelled things out. 1. What happened in her body and what thoughts arose to cause that reaction? In our home, no one is doing anything to intentionally hurt the other, so how can we work on trusting this more? 2. Boundaries. Slamming doors is unexceptionable, usually she will go into her room and scream when she’s frustrated - this is fully supported by me, express your emotions, get it out. But we don’t disrespect others or their space. 3. I let her know that once she calmed down I would need an apology. I said it all calmly, and left it at that and walked away to give her side to process. 5 minutes later she apologized and we got to talk through where she felt unheard and activated. We walked through being safe with each other and trusting in the good. Knowing I never ignore her on purpose and to try and not automatically assume the worst especially because she has a lifetime of evidence telling her otherwise. I love the community we are building here and I want to keep it real, raw and honest with real life examples and applications. What you recently that you had the opportunity to practice regulating yourself and choosing a peaceful or more aligned path?

The air felt a bit heavier this week, how did things go for you? Do you need support anywhere? Let's lift each other up and celebrate each other.

I celebrated 18 months of sobriety yesterday. It's been a wild ride since then. The mix of nervous system work I had already began prior + choosing to live a completely sober lifestyle has transformed my life in ways I never even imagined for myself. January can feel hard when there is so much pressure to do more, be more and "prove" things to ourselves. It all starts with healing ourselves from the inside out to make that change sustainable. What was NOT on your Bingo card for 2025?