Seeking self, dropping anchor

There’s a lot of talk about the vagus nerve or the vagal nervous system these days, so what is it & what’s all the fuss about? The vagal nerves are the main pathway to our parasympathetic nervous system. This system is what enables us to be in a state of rest. It’s there to counteract our stress response (fight flight freeze) and enable us to remain calm in the face of threat (or perceived threat). It’s also closely connected to our immune system. Having a healthy vagal nervous system can be incredibly helpful to effectively manage anxiety and develop emotional resilience. So how to stimulate these nerves?? Have you ever noticed yourself sigh, yawn, laugh or humm when stressed? This can often be the body’s attempt to stimulate the vagus nerve & assist you in calming down (amazing right?). The common thread with these things is breath. Research has shown that regular diaphragmatic breath work can help us keep a healthy vagal nervous system. Being able to pause & focus on slo...

Depression can sneak up on us and sometimes we’re not even aware that we’re experiencing it. The difficulty with this is that the longer we are in it without intervening, the harder it can be to come out. Being able to spot it is not for the sake of having a diagnosis to fix, but rather to enable us to take back some control and make little changes day to day (based on our capacity in the moment) that can reduce its intensity and make it more achievable to find your way out. Here are some things to look out for... Thoughts: I'm a failure It's my fault Nothing good ever happens to me I'm worthless Life's not worth living People would be better off without me Physical symptoms: Feeling tired all the time Feeling sick and run down Headaches and muscle pains Stomach pain, butterflies or churning gut Sleep problems Loss or change of appetite Significant weight loss or gain Feelings: Overwhelmed or indecisive Guilty Irritable or frustrated Lacking in confidence Unhappy or dis...