Surviving the survival mode

To put it simply, survival mode is a state of mind you enter when your brain is focused on safety and avoiding danger. 🚨

In situations where your safety is at risk and you need to be alert, your brain activates survival mode and focuses all of its energy on keeping you safe. ❗

Your body then responds to your brain's orders and you start taking rapid breaths to draw in more oxygen, your heart beats faster to increase the blood flow and oxygen to muscles, and adrenaline and cortisol are released for alertness and high physical performance.

It requires a lot of energy to maintain this state. Thus, it’s very hard to focus on anything else.🧠

Essentially, it’s a state of stress.

But why are we talking about it? Isn’t this newsletter supposed to make me glow and grow??

Well, yes bestie, I wanted to check if you’re stuck in survival mode as that might seriously stop your glowing and growing process. ✨

Why? Because anything you perceive as dangerous can trigger it.

Whether it’s phone and email notifications, constant academic stress, changing your routine, complicated family situations, or traumatic living situations.

Basically, your primal brain might not know the difference between you getting an email or being chased by a tiger.

📩 ≠🐅

A lot of people are living in this constant state of stress (chronic stress) without even realizing it.

Here are some signs::

• you often act on autopilot and feel like you’re floating through life

• you have fallen back into old unhealthy habits

• you withdraw from others

• it’s hard for you to see beyond your current situation

• you’re hyperaware of your environment

• you’re struggling to meet your basic needs (eat regularly, maintain hygiene…)

• you get tired very easily

• brain fog and lack of focus

• your immune system goes down and you get sick easily

• you break down over ‘’little things’’

Do you find yourself in these?☁️

No? Great. You can get back to what you were doing before you opened this email and keep on glowing and growing. ✨

Yes? Ok, I got you. Here are some steps you can take:

1. Become self-aware 🧘

Congratulations, you’re on the right path as you’re reading this. Don’t downplay your stress, you must acknowledge you’re overwhelmed because only then you can start untangling.

2. Self-regulation ⚖️

Self-regulation is the ability to manage thoughts, emotions and behaviors to reach a positive outcome.

Notice your self-talk and correct yourself if it becomes too negative.

If you get overwhelmed by thoughts such as will I make it? will I make it on time? what will the outcome be? ask yourself:

Is there anything in my power I can do to affect the outcome?

If the answer is yes - great → do it. 🌱

If the answer is no - drop it. ❌

You have to understand once and forever, no matter how cliche it sounds, that stressing over things you have no control over is just stupid.

Yeah, as simple as that - stupid. Be smart. Save your energy.

3. Make time for self-care 💆

I know… you just have no time to do it. But please take at least 15 minutes a day to do something just for you - taking a walk, meditation, journaling, dancing around your room.

… or even exercising, it does wonders for your mood. Just by exercising 15 minutes per day would mean exercising for a total of 7.5 hours per month (and if you don’t know where to start there are plenty off videos on youtube). 💃

4. Seek support 🤝

It is hard to give a cookie-cutter solution when there are so many different reasons to why you’re experiencing chronic stress. ⚡

But if you feel like you can’t handle it on your own consider asking for help.

Reach out to a trusted friend, family member or professional for support - talking about your experiences can be exactly the thing that you need.

Bestie, I hope you’re being honest with yourself and can admit when you’re overwhelmed.

I know you have it in you to let go of what’s no longer serving you and step into your true potential.

Sending you love and light,

Your Glowing Bestie 💖💞