Hello Reader,

Your nervous system, in its infinite wisdom, doesn't discern between imagined threats and real ones. It responds to the stories your mind weaves with the same visceral intensity as actual danger. Perhaps there's an invitation here – if you’re feeling that tight, urgent, stressed anxiousness within, take a minute and witness your body's response with curiosity and compassion, rather than judgment.

What might change if you brought gentle awareness and compassion to these sensations?

With kindness, Steve Mattus

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P.S.: Here’s the good news - if your nervous system is gonna respond to threats so viscerally, it will also viscerally respond to cues of safety.

P.P.S.: But here’s the really, really, really good news: most of the time the threats are imaginary, future disaster scenarios that likely won’t ever make it to your reality. However, the cues of safety… they are all around you – they are real, actual, tangible evidence indicating that right here, in this moment, you truly are safe enough.

Your nervous system is wired to perceive danger - this requires no effort on your part…. your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to consciously counteract the perceived threats by intentionally noticing and savoring cues of safety in your environment.

Go ahead… give it a try….

Take a nice slow breath. See… you’re safe enough to take a slow breath. Nicely done.

See the leaf on the tree out there, gently moving in the wind. All is well. You got this.

See that decoration on your wall… what beauty do you observe? See… we don’t notice beauty when we’re under threat.

And, of course, take a moment to remember how accessible tacos probably are to you. See… people in danger rarely think about tacos.

You’re gonna be okay. Just keep identifying cues of safety. They’re all around you. Keep noticing. Keep breathing slowly. Keep noticing. Savor these cues of safety into your body.

You don't have to shift your nervous system. Your nervous system will shift naturally as you practice. It's magic.

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