Your Nervous System Is Not Trying to Ruin Your Life (It Just Thinks You're 8)

Let’s talk about your inner child. Not the one who wears flower crowns at healing retreats—no, I’m talking about the actual kid inside you. The one who still flinches at rejection, wants snacks before making decisions, and sincerely believes that hiding under a blanket is a viable long-term safety strategy. That child is sitting quietly in your nervous system like a tiny life coach, whispering, “Let’s not risk anything today. Again.”

And your nervous system? Oh, it listens. In fact, it’s your inner child’s biggest fan. Together, they make a very cozy duo dedicated to one thing: keeping you safe. Not thriving, not evolving—just safe. Predictable. No plot twists. Low drama, low trauma.

The nervous system is not impressed by your vision board or your motivational podcasts. It has one job: avoid the threat. If you're breathing and not actively crying into a puddle of old wounds, it's considered a win.

So, when you start planning something big—like joining a gym, launching a dream business, or maybe texting that person back—it kicks in with a calming override:

“Or… hear me out… what if we stayed right here on the couch and made a Pinterest board about the gym instead?”

Let’s say you almost made it. You laid out your workout clothes the night before, visualized your best self, and even imagined a cute water bottle moment. But then your alarm rings. And somehow, the voice inside doesn’t say, “Let’s go change our lives!” Instead, it murmurs, “Honestly, bed is more preferable. It's hard to lift weights, and what if people look at us?"

Here’s the kicker: if your past contains even the tiniest trauma tied to being seen, trying hard, or failing—your nervous system has it on file. It has receipts from 1996, when you were picked last in gym class and cried into your Capri Sun. It remembers the time you tried to eat kale and your entire digestive system filed a formal complaint.

So when you say, “I’m going to

change!” your nervous system says, “No way! Let’s not!”

And listen—sometimes our patterns look like this:

We ghost every opportunity we prayed for because we suddenly feel “not ready.” 

But staying stuck in fear isn’t the life we dreamed about.

We sign up for classes, but conveniently forget to attend—because growth is hard and brunch is soft. 

But deep down, we’re craving breakthroughs more than bottomless mimosas.

We stay in situations where we feel small because at least we know what to expect. 

But comfort isn’t the same as happiness, and we were made for more.

We keep waiting for “the right time,” which somehow always happens to be later. 

But the perfect moment won’t come—unless we create it.

The truth? These behaviors aren’t laziness or lack of willpower. They’re nervous system defenses. They’re strategies you once learned to keep yourself safe. And for that, we can have compassion.

But you’re not 8 anymore. You don’t need to keep living in survival mode.

You can go inward and meet that wide-eyed, sweet-hearted child. You can reassure them that you’re the adult now—and a good one. You know more. You’ve lived more. And you can create the safety that your body’s been begging for all along.

You don’t need to shame your survival tactics. They were brilliant at the time. But they don’t have to lead the way anymore.

Let your inner child rest.

Let your nervous system relax.

Let your future self rise.

It’s time to stop being ruled by racing thoughts and unresolved pain. Join us for Observing Your Thoughts & Quieting the Mind — a transformative somatic healing event on June 7. Learn how to release stored trauma from the body, reconnect to peace, and step into your future with clarity and power.

💫 True healing is possible — for you, your friends, and your loved ones. Reserve your spot now and begin the journey back to yourself.

👉 Sign Up Now https://www.healyour.health/event-details/the-shift