This past month has been a bit of a doozy, to say the least. Coronavirus is taking over. Maybe not the illness itself in all places, but the effects of it for sure. Staying home, businesses closed, limited interaction, the world as we knew it is drastically different now. And this can bring an intense feeling of anxiety, overwhelm, fear among other things.
Being in the sympathetic (fight-flight-freeze) mode chronically can have significant impacts on our health and many of us were existing in this state prior to Coronavirus! If you’re feeling like this could be you, these tips are going to be helpful.
Both the parasympathetic and sympathetic are part of the autonomic nervous system which is a part of the peripheral nervous system. They have few similarities, but mostly differences. They both work with each other to keep the body in homeostasis. The sympathetic nervous system’s main purpose is to activate bodily systems during times of stress. It will increase heart rate, blood pressure and respiration to be able to fight or run from the stressor. It will also release glucose from the liver to have a quick source of energy.
The parasympathetic nervous systems goal is to activate rest and digest mode. The parasympathetic works to decrease heart rate, blood pressure and respiration. It will also stimulate digestion and salivation.
Essentially, the sympathetic nervous system is meant to speed someone up, while the parasympathetic is meant to slow us down.
As we just learned, the sympathetic nervous system is meant to activate our fight or flight mode. Ancestrally speaking, it is meant to help us fight a lion, or run away from it. However, it doesn’t distinguish stressors. So when we’re upset about being laid off from work, watching the news or just had a fight with our significant other, it still gets activated. Unfortunately, many of us live in a stressed out state much of the time. Which means the sympathetic nervous system is activated more often than the parasympathetic. This can lead to significant health issues. Some are:
Sounds like many of us, right?
With all of our specific stressors, and now add what is going on in the entire world, we have to actively think about focusing on activities that activate the parasympathetic nervous system instead.
In this age of stress surrounding us constantly, we need to be focusing on activating the parasympathetic mode as much as possible. Yes, there are some who have mastered this, but they’re in a minority I believe. Thankfully, there are many ways to activate the parasympathetic nervous system. Some are:
These are only a few of the things that will activate the parasympathetic system. Anything that requires you to slow down, be mindful and breathe, will help.
More than ever, we need to be mindful about how we are spending our time. Are we focusing on helpful, health promoting activities? Are we mindlessly watching the news or scrolling insta? Don’t get me wrong, scrolling insta CAN be useful, if you’ve curated your feed for helpful things (half of mine is now cats, for example). But if you’re on there and getting stressed about things you’re seeing, it may not be so good.
One of my clients was struggling with stress and asked for a personal checklist she could do each evening. That idea might be helpful for you to draw awareness to how you’re spending your time. It included:
This would be a 5 minute exercise to bring attention and awareness to your day and how it was for you. If you try it, let me know!!
I urge you to get curious about how you’re spending your time throughout the day, then adjust accordingly.
How are you managing stress? Are you experiencing trouble? Doing great? Let me know in the comments below!
If you’re feeling like you need extra help with anxiety, overwhelm and stress, I’ve launched a 4 week program that might be helpful for you! Check it out here.
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5 Things to do Right Now to Manage MSfollow along on Instagram:
👉🏼Feeling stuck with your MS symptoms?
👉🏼Feeling like your body betrayed you and is working against you?
👉🏼Are you worried you’re stuck like this and will never get better?
I get it. At one point I did too.
Years ago I was experiencing “Aggressive MS” and I thought I’d never function the same.
I thought my days of moving how I wanted, or doing anything on a whim were over.
I couldn’t walk well, couldn’t feel my body correctly and I was SCARED.
But now?
I’m confident in the ways I’m helping myself.
I no longer have aggressive MS.
I can move how I want, when I want.
Because of the changes I’ve made over the years.
No, it’s not easy, but that’s where I come in!!
I’ve dedicated my life to helping those with MS realize that feeling better is possible and helping them get there.
My 2 courses and my membership are on sale this weekend for Black Friday,
want to start your own success story??
Comment SUCCESS below and I’ll send you the link!!
👉🏼Feeling stuck with your MS symptoms?
👉🏼Feeling like your body betrayed you and is working against you?
👉🏼Are you worried you’re stuck like this and will never get better?
I get it. At one point I did too.
Years ago I was experiencing “Aggressive MS” and I thought I’d never function the same.
I thought my days of moving how I wanted, or doing anything on a whim were over.
I couldn’t walk well, couldn’t feel my body correctly and I was SCARED.
But now?
I’m confident in the ways I’m helping myself.
I no longer have aggressive MS.
I can move how I want, when I want.
Because of the changes I’ve made over the years.
No, it’s not easy, but that’s where I come in!!
I’ve dedicated my life to helping those with MS realize that feeling better is possible and helping them get there.
My 2 courses and my membership are on sale this weekend for Black Friday,
want to start your own success story??
Comment SUCCESS below and I’ll send you the link!!
Grab your path to healing!!
These are the lowest prices for my courses like ever, and they won’t be back. (And they’ll prob be going up in the new year- planning some updates!!)
Comment HEALING below and I’ll send you a link, or check out my stories!!
Grab your path to healing!!
These are the lowest prices for my courses like ever, and they won’t be back. (And they’ll prob be going up in the new year- planning some updates!!)
Comment HEALING below and I’ll send you a link, or check out my stories!!
The first step to being successful with managing stress (& being successful with anything really) is:
Awareness of where you currently are.
You can’t change or manage what you’re not aware of.
You can only know yourself as deep as you’re awareness of yourself goes.
Try this:
Right now as you read this, pause for a sec.
Take a deep breath, and ask yourself:
Where were my thoughts?
Where is my breathing?
What am I saying to myself?
Get really honest here too (warning- it might be uncomfy)
What did you discover while checking in? Let me know in the comments!
-
-
If we haven’t met yet, Hi! 👋🏼👋🏼 I’m Alissa. I’m a Holistic Practitioner & Therapist specializing in MS.
I use all the tools I’ve comprised over my 10+ year career (and 14+ years with MS) to help my clients with MS decrease their symptoms, improve their overall health and get back to living life on their terms, not MS’ terms.
Interested to hear how that might look for you? Comment 🧡 below or DM me and we’ll chat!
The first step to being successful with managing stress (& being successful with anything really) is:
Awareness of where you currently are.
You can’t change or manage what you’re not aware of.
You can only know yourself as deep as you’re awareness of yourself goes.
Try this:
Right now as you read this, pause for a sec.
Take a deep breath, and ask yourself:
Where were my thoughts?
Where is my breathing?
What am I saying to myself?
Get really honest here too (warning- it might be uncomfy)
What did you discover while checking in? Let me know in the comments!
-
-
If we haven’t met yet, Hi! 👋🏼👋🏼 I’m Alissa. I’m a Holistic Practitioner & Therapist specializing in MS.
I use all the tools I’ve comprised over my 10+ year career (and 14+ years with MS) to help my clients with MS decrease their symptoms, improve their overall health and get back to living life on their terms, not MS’ terms.
Interested to hear how that might look for you? Comment 🧡 below or DM me and we’ll chat!
Progress is absolutely not linear.
But, it’s still progress nonetheless.
I see you if you’re in a “dip” or feel like you’re going “backwards”
You’re really not, you’re right where you should be.
Keep going!!
🧡❤️🧡
Progress is absolutely not linear.
But, it’s still progress nonetheless.
I see you if you’re in a “dip” or feel like you’re going “backwards”
You’re really not, you’re right where you should be.
Keep going!!
🧡❤️🧡
Lol, all this got me was an MS diagnosis.
This was me basically my whole life up until a few years ago.
My clients have all talked about situations like this too.
It’s no wonder why a lot of us have an autoimmune disease now.
Please, speak your truth. Your body will thank you.
If we haven’t met yet, Hi! 👋🏼👋🏼 I’m Alissa.
I’m a Holistic Practitioner & Therapist specializing in MS.
I use all the tools I’ve comprised over my 10+ year career (and 14+ years with MS) to help my clients with MS decrease their symptoms, improve their overall health and get back to living life on their terms, not MS’ terms.
Interested to hear how that might look for you? Comment 🧡 below or DM me and we’ll chat!
Lol, all this got me was an MS diagnosis.
This was me basically my whole life up until a few years ago.
My clients have all talked about situations like this too.
It’s no wonder why a lot of us have an autoimmune disease now.
Please, speak your truth. Your body will thank you.
If we haven’t met yet, Hi! 👋🏼👋🏼 I’m Alissa.
I’m a Holistic Practitioner & Therapist specializing in MS.
I use all the tools I’ve comprised over my 10+ year career (and 14+ years with MS) to help my clients with MS decrease their symptoms, improve their overall health and get back to living life on their terms, not MS’ terms.
Interested to hear how that might look for you? Comment 🧡 below or DM me and we’ll chat!
This has been a TOUGH week friends.
Don’t lose yourself.
What else would you add to this list?
What helps you when life is super hard?
❤️❤️
This has been a TOUGH week friends.
Don’t lose yourself.
What else would you add to this list?
What helps you when life is super hard?
❤️❤️
I’ve been actively working on my nervous system for the past year or two.
That hasn’t meant that all my anxiety or depression magically vanished.
It just means that when I do find myself feeling like an anxious mess or a depressed puddle, I know how to attend to and care for myself.
Not in the goal of “fixing” per se, more honoring and accepting.
This is one of the ways I help my clients improve their MS symptoms, but attending to their nervous systems and improving their stress response and resilience.
I have so many ways to work with me.. from 1:1 support to my free community.. comment below “interested” and we’ll chat about what would be right for you!
I’ve been actively working on my nervous system for the past year or two.
That hasn’t meant that all my anxiety or depression magically vanished.
It just means that when I do find myself feeling like an anxious mess or a depressed puddle, I know how to attend to and care for myself.
Not in the goal of “fixing” per se, more honoring and accepting.
This is one of the ways I help my clients improve their MS symptoms, but attending to their nervous systems and improving their stress response and resilience.
I have so many ways to work with me.. from 1:1 support to my free community.. comment below “interested” and we’ll chat about what would be right for you!
This is exactly why I do what I do.
Because when I was suffering and going through it, I had no one.
No one in my corner who fully understood.
Sure I had some people around me who cared.. but that’s different than understanding and being supportive.
I don’t want that for you.
I want you to feel confident,
in control of your life,
like you have someone in your corner who understands on a completely different level than those around you.
This is why I do what I do.
Because I don’t want you to feel alone.
PS- My second book is available for pre-order!!
This is a book that I would have loved to read early on in my journey.
I teamed up with 6 other authors to detail how we moved through our diagnosis and came out the other side for the better.
(Also, 5 of the 7 authors also have MS!!)
If you pre order your copy through me before October 24th you’ll also get:
• Signed copy of Resilience Redefined
• The MS Handbook E-book
• Resilience Bookmark
• LissMS Sticker Pack
Comment “book” below and I’ll send you the link!!
This is exactly why I do what I do.
Because when I was suffering and going through it, I had no one.
No one in my corner who fully understood.
Sure I had some people around me who cared.. but that’s different than understanding and being supportive.
I don’t want that for you.
I want you to feel confident,
in control of your life,
like you have someone in your corner who understands on a completely different level than those around you.
This is why I do what I do.
Because I don’t want you to feel alone.
PS- My second book is available for pre-order!!
This is a book that I would have loved to read early on in my journey.
I teamed up with 6 other authors to detail how we moved through our diagnosis and came out the other side for the better.
(Also, 5 of the 7 authors also have MS!!)
If you pre order your copy through me before October 24th you’ll also get:
• Signed copy of Resilience Redefined
• The MS Handbook E-book
• Resilience Bookmark
• LissMS Sticker Pack
Comment “book” below and I’ll send you the link!!
When this is a new habit.. it’s HARD!!
We encounter so many messages that say DONT take time for you, prioritize others, you must.
So.. what stands in your way of prioritizing you?
What is your hesitation when you go take a minute for yourself?
What is the guilt you feel after you actually do?
I’m planning something in a few weeks to help you with just these things.. stay tuned…
When this is a new habit.. it’s HARD!!
We encounter so many messages that say DONT take time for you, prioritize others, you must.
So.. what stands in your way of prioritizing you?
What is your hesitation when you go take a minute for yourself?
What is the guilt you feel after you actually do?
I’m planning something in a few weeks to help you with just these things.. stay tuned…
I’ve found that most all of my clients (and my past self too) would say NOPE, at least at first.
There are so many reasons we don’t value our own needs as much as others, but this is something that def has to be addressed if we want to continue to make progress with improving our health.
You matter.
Remember that.
🧡❤️
I’ve found that most all of my clients (and my past self too) would say NOPE, at least at first.
There are so many reasons we don’t value our own needs as much as others, but this is something that def has to be addressed if we want to continue to make progress with improving our health.
You matter.
Remember that.
🧡❤️
This is what came through during my meditation this morning.
I’ve been feeling so BEHIND lately..
That I’m not doing enough..
That progress isn’t happening fast enough..
But that’s a lie.
I’m right where I should be.
I needed this message today… maybe you do too?
This is what came through during my meditation this morning.
I’ve been feeling so BEHIND lately..
That I’m not doing enough..
That progress isn’t happening fast enough..
But that’s a lie.
I’m right where I should be.
I needed this message today… maybe you do too?
This is how I slowly helped myself the most:
Making small changes to my life,
* Intentional awareness to my morning
* Noticing when I’m being mean to myself
* Noticing when I’m reactive or in a state of fight or flight..
Some “small” ideas for you too:
* don’t grab your phone first thing in the morning, take some deep breaths, think about how you want your day to go
* drink an extra glass of water (bonus if it’s in the morning too)
* get up and move every hour
* say something nice to yourself when you catch yourself being mean
* step outside for a few minutes a few times a day
Small changes add up to big steps forward,
don’t get fooled by these not being “enough”,
they absolutely are.
Wanna hear more about how Ive helped myself and my clients to lessen our MS symptoms so we feel better in our bodies?
I detail it in my chapter in Resilience Redefined.. comment “Book” and I’ll send you the link!!
This is how I slowly helped myself the most:
Making small changes to my life,
* Intentional awareness to my morning
* Noticing when I’m being mean to myself
* Noticing when I’m reactive or in a state of fight or flight..
Some “small” ideas for you too:
* don’t grab your phone first thing in the morning, take some deep breaths, think about how you want your day to go
* drink an extra glass of water (bonus if it’s in the morning too)
* get up and move every hour
* say something nice to yourself when you catch yourself being mean
* step outside for a few minutes a few times a day
Small changes add up to big steps forward,
don’t get fooled by these not being “enough”,
they absolutely are.
Wanna hear more about how Ive helped myself and my clients to lessen our MS symptoms so we feel better in our bodies?
I detail it in my chapter in Resilience Redefined.. comment “Book” and I’ll send you the link!!
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