Hi,
It's Mandy here and welcome to this mini safety check-in.
It's a practice for everyday rewiring.
By now,
You're likely learning that pain is complex.
Pain is always real,
But sometimes our nervous systems can become overprotective.
And we experience pain long after the body has healed or when no danger is present.
One of the most powerful ways to help retrain an overprotective nervous system is through experiencing small moments of safety throughout the day.
These brief check-ins aren't about getting rid of pain or forcing relaxation.
They're just opportunities to remind the brain and the body,
I'm okay.
I'm safe.
There's no emergency here.
And you can do this practice anywhere.
Sitting,
Standing,
Walking,
Resting,
Even while doing everyday activities.
First,
We'll just pause for a moment.
Notice where you are right now.
Maybe looking down,
Noticing your feet and where they are.
Feeling the body being supported by gravity.
The air against your skin.
And just taking one slow easy breath in.
.
.
And a longer breath out.
And if you're noticing pain,
Discomfort,
Tension or another symptom,
Seeing if you can simply acknowledge it.
Ah,
There's a sensation here.
It's not a problem to solve.
It's not something to get rid of.
It's just a sensation that's here right now.
And as best you can,
Can you bring a sense of kind curiosity to it?
What do you notice?
Is the sensation warm or cool?
Sharp or dull.
Is it large or small?
Moving or still.
Can you get a sense of where it begins and ends?
Maybe you'd describe it with different words.
There's no right answer,
You're just simply observing.
And as you do so,
You might gently remind yourself,
This sensation is real and I'm safe.
My nervous system is trying to protect me.
There's nothing I need to fix in this moment.
And just noticing if you can allow a little softness around your experience,
Not trying to immediately push it away,
Not trying to pull anything closer,
Even the wish for things to be different.
And just allowing your attention to widen and broaden a little.
What else is here besides this sensation?
Perhaps you're noticing your breathing.
Sounds around you.
Support beneath your body.
And maybe there are pleasant sensations somewhere in the body as well.
Months.
Comfort.
Even a sense of stillness or numbness.
Just noticing that many different parts of our experience can be here together.
Taking one more slow breath.
And again,
Gently reminding yourself.
This is not something I need to figure out right now.
I can be with this and I can be safe.
And then getting ready to continue with whatever you're doing.
These short check-ins may only take a minute or so,
But each time we pause in this way,
It's an opportunity to offer your nervous system.
A different way.
A new way.
Of relating through safety,
Not danger.
And with a sense of calm and ease,
Not urgency.
And that's where we can start to build a sense of safety,
Choice and confidence.
And over time these small moments can really help dial down protection.
And support you on your road to recovery.
Thanks for practicing with me.
And I'll see you next time.
