Could another story be true?
Outgrowing yourself, nervous systems + Love's invitation
Our bodies write stories all the time. My body assigned meaning to a variety of stories in my lifetime and they echo on repeat to this day.
That’s not safe. That was scary the first time it happened ten years ago. I’ll forever remind you to never do that again.
We don’t do that either. I remember how much it hurt. We can’t handle it again.
Nope. We’re shutting down. Freeze. Disassociate. Numb. Distract. Hard pass.
On one hand, kudos to bodies for how they remember what’s hurt us in the past. They’re working so hard to keep us safe. Maybe this is their language of love.
I don’t know your exact story of pain and fear. But I’m finding out most of us humans have brains wired for absolute safety. Left unmonitored, our nervous systems will guide us away from danger and toward safety at every opportunity. Even if we don’t need the help.
Problem is — we’re not the same person we were when we first learned that specific danger or pain. We’ve grown. We can handle more than our nervous system thinks we can. But our body hasn’t gotten the memo yet. Fear, adrenaline, cortisol, disassociation, depression, overwhelm, and anxiety will pull every card to protect us.
Some of us are miserable inside and this protection isn’t supporting us anymore. Instead, this wiring is making our world smaller and smaller.
Are you outgrowing you?
Where is life inviting you beyond your unconscious patterns of fear?
As I sit in my comfy recliner next to an early morning Christmas tree, I think of my story and yours. Where is love longing to grow? To stretch out its legs and take up its space. To love this season of your story in a tender and courageous way. To spin around with freedom because old stories are finally allowed to dissolve.
Love is always trying to expand. It’s in the very nature of Love.
Love never shrinks and evades.
Never denies itself.
Love trusts even when our body fears.
Love reaches out when nervous systems freeze.
Love animates imaginations when painful stories numb.
Your body is writing a story of this season of life.
Maybe another story could be true?
Do you know a loved one going through a challenging road of fresh grief this season? Consider gifting them a copy of “Still Here” as one small way to honor the deep work they’re wading through right now. Grief can feel wildly isolating, until we find ourselves in each other’s stories. Much love.
I think sometimes in an innocent and vulnerable effort to serve one can walk into a hornet's nest unawares. Such can turn out to be an incredible transforming human experience ever evolving into a genuine path of inner peace, self acceptance, creativity, discernment, insight and rest in a divine presence and friendships where trust blossoms. 🙏