From Chaos to Calm – Learning to Regulate Your Nervous System After Trauma
If you've ever wondered why certain moments feel overwhelming, why your body tenses up unexpectedly, or why you either explode or shut down emotionally—you're not alone. These aren’t personality flaws or signs of weakness. They are your nervous system asking for safety.
At Awaken Your Lioness, we teach that healing isn’t just about talking through the past—it’s about learning how to feel safe in your body again. It’s about shifting from chaos to calm and learning to live in a way that doesn’t just manage trauma, but transforms it.
How Trauma Affects the Nervous System
Trauma—whether a single event or chronic stress—rewires how your nervous system functions. It keeps your body stuck in survival mode: fight, flight, freeze, or fawn.
You might notice:
Constant hypervigilance or anxiety
Emotional numbness or dissociation
Trouble focusing or making decisions
Difficulty sleeping or relaxing
Feeling unsafe even when nothing is wrong
This is your body remembering what your mind may have tried to forget.
But here’s the good news: your nervous system can heal.
What Nervous System Regulation Really Means
Regulation means creating a steady internal rhythm—a baseline of calm where you feel grounded, safe, and present. It doesn't mean you never feel triggered. It means when you do, you know how to return to center.
Daily Practices to Regulate Your Nervous System
1. Anchor Yourself with Breath
Slow, intentional breathing tells your brain that you are safe. Try the 4-4-6 method:
Inhale for 4 seconds
Hold for 4 seconds
Exhale slowly for 6 seconds
Repeat for 2–5 minutes to bring your system back into balance.
2. Use Grounding Tools
Grounding connects you to the present moment. Try:
Placing your feet flat on the floor
Holding a cold object or textured item
Naming 5 things you can see, 4 you can touch, 3 you can hear…
These small tools train your body to feel safe again in real time.
3. Limit Overstimulation
Too much noise, media, or pressure can send your system into overdrive. Start your day quietly, take tech-free pauses, and pay attention to when your body feels overwhelmed.
4. Build a Safe Routine
Predictable, nurturing routines help create a felt sense of safety. This could include:
A calming morning ritual
Journaling or stretching in the evening
Scheduled moments of rest and reflection
5. Validate and Respond to Triggers
When you’re triggered, avoid shame. Instead ask:
“What does my body need right now?”
“What am I feeling underneath this reaction?”
Respond with kindness—not self-judgment.
You Deserve to Feel Safe in Your Own Body
Regulating your nervous system isn’t just a practice—it’s an act of self-respect. It’s a way of saying: I no longer have to live in survival. I get to feel peace.
At Awaken Your Lioness, we believe that healing doesn’t mean ignoring your past. It means learning to live in the present with power, clarity, and calm.
You are not broken. Your body has been protecting you. Now, it’s time to guide it into safety—one breath, one moment, one day at a time.
