Love Letter, August 2024: Nervous System
Hello Dear Soul,
How is your nervous system feeling right now?
Mine has been a little bit jittery. Planes, trains and automobiles have caused some havoc for me…
Take a moment to take 3 breaths of surrender.
Breathe in deeply, gathering up all your thoughts, stress, and negative feelings; hold for 5 at the top and then release softly all the way out…no pushing.
Repeat 3 times.
As I write, it’s Sunday afternoon and Ι’m in Lisbon, Portugal. The last three days I’ve been a tourist and it’s been fun, but it’s also taken a toll on my nervous system. Friday I went to Sintra but I found the experience a little bit overwhelming. Palacio da Pena was amazing, but as I was walking through the 19th century palace, I was struck at how structured and rigid it was. The opulence and workmanship was exquisite, but where could you be playful? It made me think how this structured life has continued into our modern world. We may live in a more relaxed environment, but playfulness is still not a priority. As I was sitting on the overcrowded bus going back down to Sintra town I could only think about how I felt playful a few weeks back on the Greek Islands.
Swimming carefree in the Aegean Sea was medicine for my soul, nourishing my inner little girl. But here, my anxious inner child was screaming to get out. So I hastily decided to leave early, and in my overwhelm I boarded the wrong train. As the train pulled away my instinct told me there was a problem. After a few stops my intuition kicked in and I knew Ι was definitely on the wrong train. After checking the timetable on my phone I got off and waited for the next train, which was the right one.
Basically, I’m not a great tourist. Slow travel is my mantra and so I’ve made sure to not overdo it and keep it simple. I’m sure there are some amazing sites that I’ll miss out on but I’ve loved just walking around and taking in the energy of the place.
Keeping myself feeling safe is what my nervous system really needs!
How to develop your instinct:
Practice listening to your body and mind.
Engage in a body scan activity to recognize different sensations.
Build a sensation word list.
You can read my blog on The Difference Between Instinct and Intuition: A Fearless Path to Creativity here.
Big love, Jo xx
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