Safety is a noble cause. But in the realm of the individual nervous system is it intellectually honest let alone realistic to expect that as our outcome? Our work IN today is how that word “safety” can undermine our purpose in supporting healthy resilience for ourselves and others. Are we doing more harm than good in the body and beyond?

What I’d like to highlight in today’s episode has to do with how our hypervigilant state of protection prevents us from emotionally connecting and bonding with the people who we are trying to protect. Especially our kids but this also applies to pretty much any relationship.

I teach people how to hold space as part of trauma informed coaching and instruction. The purpose of holding space in that way is to create enough safety to calm the nervous system. Why would we want to do that? To find common ground, to be able to speak to each other from a place of bi directional tolerance and understanding, to be able to listen to each other, to be able to learn from one another. Notice I didn’t say to always agree with one another. I think it’s ok that we disagree sometimes. But I want to be very clear here. Being trauma informed and following these principles does not mean that you won’t trigger someone or that they won’t get offended. As an instructor or coach (or just a regular person) you can’t be held responsible for anyone else's emotions or experiences. That’s not what trauma informed means. In order to hold space for others and truly be trauma informed you need to create your own internal safe space that is stable and untouchable. A deep calm so that when things go sideways you know which way is up.

Last weekend I witnessed a summer camp for mostly grown ups with intense interest playing the guitar.

If it was yoga we would call it a week long intensive. Maybe a retreat. And we would weigh the cost/benefit of the continuing education and whether or not the credits are pre approved. Probably because that sounds better to adults. As adults why do we need to justify taking a week out of our real world to indulge ourselves in our passion?That thing we love to do that’s only for ourselves.

What if we could create our own summer camp to nourish and feed our soul? What if it lasted all summer? Or maybe all year? What would your summer camp look like?

Today is part 3 of our reclaim your health and resilience series …

You reap the benefits and consequences of everything you do. So that could be work, food, exercise, entertainment, relationships. That’s what this series is all about. Reclaiming your health and resilience is within your control. Everything we do can be a lever. Nutrition is a very powerful lever. Everything you consume becomes a part of you and that makes what you eat a very intimate relationship. But unlike relationships with other people you have complete control of this one.

Today is part 2 of our reclaim your health and resilience series …

Movement of all kinds is a powerful influencer on all aspects of our health including of course our mighty nervous system. The reason of course is because all movement is accepted by the nervous system as a kind of challenge. And practice rising to that challenge in relative safety like with purposeful movement or exercise builds resilience across all bio-psycho-social-spiritual connections.