It gave me a real shock

What I really mean is, I hope your Sunday has started off without you touching your mobile phone for at least 30 minutes in the morning, and that you’re now reaping the positive effects of committing to this wonderfully life-changing tweak to your day 😉

I’ve just got back from two nights at a spa hotel (Buxton Crescent - nothing too bank breaking but lovely nonetheless if you fancy a nosey). Took myself off for a little work/rest break, not too far away from home. The intention being to get lots of work done, whilst also integrating relaxing/regulating my nervous system, to enable the creativity to flow, but also to give myself down-time to look after myself.

Yes, there is always a lot to do - always! We all have a seemingly never ending ‘to do’ list (I can feel so many of you nodding along) but it’s completely pointless and counterproductive to just keep ‘pushing through.’ (Incidentally, the to-do list is called living, you’ll never finish it). We simply can’t keep going without a break, we are not robots, our body will not let us. As you will hear shortly…

I had a talk I began writing in December that I had not managed to pick up again, and I’ve had several incoming requests to deliver it inside some very high-level masterminds, which I’m SO excited to do. So I knew I needed to really get in the zone with it, to see it through from start to end, to ensure I deliver the impact I envision it in my mind. The aim was not to perfect it, but to get the bones of it together, to flesh it out and feel ‘there’ in my mind with it. And with the rest-breaks included in the mini-break, the passion, commitment, creativity, and the flow really, really did come through into it. Hurrah!

Let me dial back a moment, though...

I went to the spa on Thursday afternoon and returned on Saturday (yesterday as you read this; this afternoon as I write).

On Wednesday, I had an appointment to get the results of a DUTCH test I’d done to monitor my hormone levels, having been on HRT for two years now. As you know if you’ve been receiving my weekly emails for a while, health and longevity, and I mean real health and longevity, not fitness-diet fads, is my real passion. So when we are taking hormones, for me, it’s important to know that I’m not overdoing it, or falling short, whilst trying to do good for my overall health. Without testing, it’s guess work and I always love to be as much in the know as poss. I’m a geek in that way and I don’t mind admitting it.

I’m fortunate enough to have been able to pay to go to somebody privately for this, and turns out, all was pretty good, a few minor tweaks, BUT… My cortisol levels are high. I wasn’t surprised, (well ok I do think sometimes I’m a bit infallible if I’m honest - so I wasn’t surprised no, but it did shock me). Truth is, I have a lot on in life at the moment, and work has been busy on top of it. But I was annoyed, cross with myself (pointless!) and I did feel, for a moment, like I was somehow failing.

Because after all, I’m a Nervous System Strategist. I work with helping people move into regulation. I practice and live life in a way that keeps me as well-regulated as I can be. But, as this confirmed, we are but human. And life does still keep life-ing. And nervous systems will always work in the way they should if they ‘perceive’ danger (higher than usual stressors) to keep us safe. But this high cortisol result was a wake-up call for me, and one I shall not ignore.

A warning sign to me from my body, that something needs to change. I’m listening!

The fact I have high cortisol tells me that my body is stuck in survival mode. This is not a healthy place to stay. When we’re in survival mode, and our body is producing high levels of cortisol (and no doubt adrenaline), it starts shutting down various functions—which can present in the following ways (which I don’t doubt many of you recognise, so pay attention!). It disrupts digestion (hence the uncomfortable, unappealing bloating I’ve had for weeks) because when your body thinks you’re under threat, breaking down food is the last thing it cares about. It messes with sleep, making it harder to actually rest properly, even when you’re exhausted. And over time, it lowers your immune function, so you’ll suffer repeated colds, feel run down, or just not be able to fully get over illnesses. It can also make you way more irritable (often with the people you love!) because when your nervous system is dysregulated, patience is not its default stance.

So on the plus side, the fact I had booked to stay at a spa hotel, to enable me to unwind as well as work, was a massive tick. Divine timing! Clearly I was listening before the result even came hey?

So anyway.. I checked in and worked all afternoon on Thursday, ordered room service (which was delicious) for my evening meal, closed my laptop at 8 pm, had a big soak in an Epsom salt bath, then read in bed, did a gorgeous meditation, and got a solid eight hours of sleep, waking in the morning to do yet another meditation and my usual morning routine. Bliss.

I worked for some of the morning, but then got myself outside and did a big two-hour walk in the Buxton countryside, in the bracing wind, and felt completely alive. I took myself for a gorgeous lunch at a place called The Chakra Lounge and ordered two mains (because I couldn’t decide which one I wanted - so eat nearly both) and had the most beautiful turmeric, ginger, and black pepper latte with coconut milk (just in case you care)!

Honesty, for me I find food, textures, colours, fresh ingredients and the whole process of preparing, and eating delicious food so incredibly regulating. If you follow me on Instagram, you’ll know, I’m always chopping, preparing, and munching something fresh and delicious.

I then worked for a couple more hours, feeling really creative, my thinking brain back online, my blood flowing beautifully, feeling human once again, connected to the Earth, connected to myself, and connected very much to the people whose lives I want to impact with this nervous system work; just like it impacts mine daily.

Following this productive work time, I took myself down into the spa and tried out the different rooms on offer; Finnish sauna, other sauna, aroma room (which, as far as I’m concerned, did not have an aroma?!), steam room… it was a treat, and my body exhaled.

And then, I came back up to my room and worked in a robe, far too late. But I’d planned it that way. I wanted to finish and get to a point where, when I came home, I felt I had got where I wanted to get. So I stayed on my laptop far too late, but safe in the knowledge I wasn’t going to set an alarm in the morning and still had plenty of time for eight hours of sleep (albeit, not great sleep, having looked at a screen too late, despite the blue-light glasses I always wear. When your brain is ‘on’ right up the minute you get your shut eye, you do not get into the restorative REM good stuff).

To finish off, I’d booked myself a massage just before leaving, to put myself back into regulation before heading home and beginning mumming and everyday life-ing again.

I guess what I’m trying to say here is…

You are so, so, SO important.

I wasn’t failing because my cortisol was high, of course not. But yes, it did feel like that. But I’m proud of myself for taking notice and doing something to look after myself, which, in turn, means not only am I around longer to look after the people in my life, but when I AM with them, I am truly present, not a grumpy, irritable, high-cortisol-carrying human!

You really are special, and your nervous system really is looking after you so well. I really encourage you to do the same for it, which many of you already are, because you’re here!

And on that, I’d like to really warmly welcome all the newbies who have arrived here via REGULATE! I hope you are loving your daily nervous system regulation prompts? Feedback tells me people are, and that really fills my soul; knowing we are all together, sharing the ripple effect of regulated nervous systems, wiring together and creating a shift from the inside out. (You can join in REGULATE here if you haven't already)

Do me (you) a favour right now and have a look at your week ahead.Where can you carve out just a few intentional moments of time just for you? Book them in!

I promise you, these small snippets of time for yourself create SO much more productivity, so much more inner peace, and so much more enjoyment of life.

And after all… isn’t that what we all desire the most?

Have the most beautiful week, you lot, and I really mean that.