Rebuilding a Relationship With Your Nervous System

Rebuilding a relationship with my nervous system has been one of the most important, and unexpected, parts of healing. For a long time, I didn’t even realize how disconnected I was from my body. I was constantly on edge, anxious for no clear reason, or totally shut down. It wasn’t until I started learning about how the nervous system works that things started to make more sense. I wasn’t “broken”, my body was just doing its best to protect me based on what I’d been through.

What really shifted things was learning to listen to my body instead of fighting it. I started paying attention to the signs, like tight shoulders when I was stressed, or that wired-but-tired feeling that meant I needed rest, not another cup of coffee.

Things like deep breathing, going for walks, gentle movement, or even just placing a hand on my chest when I was overwhelmed helped me feel more connected and safe in my own skin again.

Healing my nervous system hasn’t been about getting it “perfect”, it’s been about learning to work with it instead of against it. The more I check in with myself, the more I understand what I actually need in the moment. It’s like building trust with my body again. And honestly, that’s been a game-changer. It’s helped me feel more grounded, more present, and way more compassionate with myself.