Managing Overwhelm, Anxiety, Nervous System allison gallagher Managing Overwhelm, Anxiety, Nervous System allison gallagher

Your mind was not meant to witness this much tragedy.

Your mind wasn’t built to witness this much tragedy—yet we scroll, we absorb, and we wonder why we feel so off. This piece is a compassionate call to tend to your nervous system, reconnect with your body, and remember your power.

Your mind was not meant to witness this much tragedy.

This week, we saw tragedy unfold again.

Not just in the news, but in live videos of lives lost.

And I need to share this with you.

This is my way of serving the world when things feel disorienting.

Sharing this helps ME come back to center.

Because whether you knew the people or not,

if you watched those videos or just engaged in the emotional subjects, your nervous system registered it.

Your brain did exactly what it is designed to do:

scan for danger

process threat

try to make sense of the chaos

But our minds were not built for this kind of nonstop exposure to fear, grief, and horror on loop,

and neither were our nervous systems.

And yet, we scroll

Because the apps are designed to make us stay

To never look away

To keep going

This is not about ignoring injustice.

It is not about pretending nothing is wrong.

But rumination never serves us, no matter the subject.

This is about protecting the organ that runs your entire life, your brain.

And caring for the system that holds it all together, your nervous system.

And if you already carry stored trauma in your body,

this kind of exposure can amplify it.

It can deepen dysregulation and pull you further from peace.

When you do not tend to these things,

it does not just affect how you feel.

It touches everything:

Your sleep

Your patience

Your focus

Your health

Your energy

Your relationships

Your goals

Even your finances

And I will always remind you:

You still have power.

Here are a few ways to take care of your mind and nervous system right now:

Sit and feel.

Do not push it down. Do not rush it away.

Do not buffer with a substance.

Place a hand on your chest.

Feel your heartbeat.

Breathe.

Notice where in your body you feel the fear, the terror, the anger, or the grief.

Sit with it.

It is okay that it is there. It is a messenger, not a mistake.

And yes, if left unchecked, anger, fear, sadness, and rage can take you down.

But when we go into the body, we take the energy and momentum away from the thoughts.

When we stop resisting, emotions pass.

From there, we return to center.

We reconnect.

We ground again.

We remember: “We are safe now.”

Then say or do something from service or from love.

This takes practice

but your mind and nervous system are worth it.

Your life is worth it.

Your kids.

Your partner.

Your clients.

All of it is worth this work.

1. Put the phone down for longer periods.

We were never meant to witness constant tragedy.

Even a short break matters.

2. Regulate before you educate and ask yourself:

Before posting, reacting, or diving into a conversation, pause.

What is the result I want or need from this?

How do I want to feel right now, and how can I feel that ahead of time?

Is there something more of service I could be doing with my time right now?

Check in with your body.

Take three deep breaths.

Then decide if engaging is truly serving your best interest.

3. Give your brain a new input.

Dance

Go for a walk in nature. Feel the grass beneath your feet

Get a workout in

Listen to calming music

Laugh with someone

Create something

Call a friend

BE PURPOSEFUL IN THIS.

Let your brain know:

Beauty still exists

Love still exists

Because what you focus on, you get more of

AND IF YOU ARE STRUGGLING RAISE YOUR HAND AND ASK FOR HELP

These events are scary

They are sad

They are disorienting

They are tragic

And you still have a beautiful, beautiful life to lead

Let us protect the parts of you that carry that life forward

Please do not leave comments that are political or judgmental in nature.

They are not welcome here.

This space is not for debates or division.

This space exists to help you live a happier, more fulfilled life. a more CONNECTED life.

And yes, that will look different depending on what is going on in your life and in the world.

But no matter what, it always starts with one thing:

your brain and your nervous system.

This is a space for true connection, love, healing, and safety for all humans.

And honestly, we need more of these spaces and I am here to do my best to create that

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Mindset, Anxiety allison gallagher Mindset, Anxiety allison gallagher

worry vs. concern

Hello again, friends!

How many things have you worried about in your life?

How many things have you worried about today?

Worry is ruminative speculation of what will go wrong. An anticipation of worst case scenarios and basically a form of self torment.

Very much a "what if" type of thinking.

Sometimes things genuinely need our attention and so that is where we can choose concern over worry.

Concern is a calculated rational assessment of the actual potential problem. Concern is more fact based and is very much constructive.

Would you rather deal with facts? Or fiction?

When we come from a place of concern vs worry we can think clearer.

Worry is fixating on a pain in the body and says "What if I have a terminal illness?..."...which just leads to panic.

Concern is "If I continue to feel this way I will make an appointment with a doctor."

Concern leads to problem solving.

Worry is living in the future (which isn't possible) and is just a habit.

Wait...I will say that one again.

Worry is just a habit. That is all.

Because the unknown is so uncomfortable we come up with worse case scenarios in our head to create the illusion of control of our future. But, it doesn't prepare us. It just diminishes our ability to handle situations.

Concern is living in the present with action taking. It is a normal reaction to a problem or challenge.

Worry comes from lack of faith and makes us retreat.
Concern comes from confidence and faith in ourselves and creates action.

Ask yourself "Do these thoughts serve me and my situation or do they just hurt me?"

We will never eliminate bad things from happening. But we can eliminate needless rumination that brings negativity and panic into our lives.

Remember worry is a habit. If you find yourself in rumination just pause. And choose again.

My clients are learning how to recognize and stop the ruminating thoughts in their tracks.

I help my clients feel better. That is what I do.

If you are a chronic worrier and want help changing click here and let's have a conversation about how I can help you, too.

Keep going and expect miracles, are you worried?

-Allison

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