Running the Race of Life (With Your Nervous System on Your Side)

We all feel it sometimes, like life is this relentless race, and somehow we’re running on empty. Everyone’s sprinting past us, and we’re just trying to stay upright.

But what if the race of life isn’t about speed or performance at all? What if it's about learning how to move through life with your nervous system regulated, your body feeling safe, and your mind no longer stuck in fear?

Because here’s the truth: You don’t heal or thrive by pushing through. You heal by understanding your body, listening to your signals, and regulating your nervous system so you’re not living in survival mode 24/7.

Your Nervous System: The Unsung Coach of Your Life

Your nervous system isn’t just there to keep your heart beating — it’s guiding every single one of your responses to stress, fear, joy, safety, and connection.

The autonomic nervous system has two key branches:

• Sympathetic: your fight-or-flight system (go-go-go)

• Parasympathetic: your rest, digest, and healing mode

  
  

When you feel overwhelmed, anxious, dizzy, unwell, or stuck, you’re likely dysregulated. That means your body thinks it’s not safe, even when logically you know you are.

One of the most helpful frameworks for understanding this is Polyvagal Theory, developed by Dr. Stephen Porges. If you're new to it, check out this overview from the Polyvagal Institute.

The Race of Life Isn’t About Pushing — It’s About Pacing

Picture this: you're running a marathon, but you never stop to drink water, breathe properly, or check your pace. Eventually, your body crashes. That’s exactly what happens when we ignore our stress responses.

Regulating your nervous system means:

• Learning to notice when your body is in fight, flight, or freeze

• Giving it the tools to feel safe again

• Moving forward with your symptoms, not against them

  
  

This is the approach used by mind-body experts like:

• Alan Gordon, LCSW – founder of the Pain Psychology Center, creator of the Pain Recovery Program based on brain retraining

• Dr. John Stracks – a Christian MD and TMS doctor using integrative, faith-informed healing

• Dr. Howard Schubiner – author of Unlearn Your Pain, TMS physician, and researcher who bridges science with compassion-based healing

For those of faith, these resources reinforce that learning to calm your nervous system is not separate from your faith - in fact, it's part of returning to the peace and trust God calls us into.

How to Train Your Nervous System (Not Just Your Mind)

When you’re dysregulated, you’re not weak - you’re protected. Your body is trying to keep you safe.

Here’s how you start working with your body, not against it:

Step 1: Identify Your State

Use tools like the Polyvagal Ladder to understand where you are:

• Fight/Flight (Sympathetic): You feel anxious, wired, unsafe

• Freeze (Dorsal): You feel shut down, hopeless, foggy

• Ventral (Safe & Social): You feel grounded, open, connected

  
  

Step 2: Create Cues of Safety

This might look like:

• Somatic tracking: Gently noticing sensations without judgment (explained here in our Grounded Mind video)

• Breathwork: Deep, slow breaths with longer exhales

• Safe touch: Holding your own hand or placing your hand over your heart

• Prayer and grounding: Speaking to God, using Scripture as reassurance for your body and soul

Step 3: Practice Regularly

Like running, this is a daily practice. You don’t get fitter by doing it once, and you don’t get regulated by trying it only when symptoms hit hard.

Symptoms Are Messages, Not Enemies

If you live with chronic symptoms - like dizziness, tinnitus, nausea, or fatigue, it’s easy to see your body as “broken.” But mind-body healing helps us reframe symptoms as messages from a sensitised brain, not permanent damage.

As Alan Gordon explains: "Your brain is not defective, it’s just protecting you from something it mistakenly believes is dangerous."

We’ve seen this in so many Grounded Mind clients: once fear reduces and nervous system safety increases, symptoms begin to fade.

You’re Still in the Race, But Now You’re Running Differently

The goal isn’t to win life. The goal is to feel present, connected, and safe in your own skin.

You’re not here to keep pushing until you burn out. You’re here to live fully, even with the bumps, flares, and frustrations.

And the beautiful thing? Once you understand how your nervous system works, you stop fearing it. You start trusting your body again. You begin choosing safety on purpose. You start believing that healing isn’t just possible, it’s happening.

Want to Walk (Not Run) Into Nervous System Healing?

If you're ready to explore:

• How to calm your overactive nervous system

• How to stop fearing your symptoms

• How to finally feel grounded again

I offer one-on-one coaching and a complimentary 15-minute consultation to determine if it’s the right fit for you. My approach is science-based, heart-led, and tailored to your story. Book a free 15-minute consultation here.

You don’t have to run this race alone.

Book Free Consultation

If you found this helpful or want to share your journey, comment below. I’d love to hear from you.