Embodying Your Future Self

Change Your State to Change Your Story

LISTEN NOW

There's a concept I first learned from Polyvagal pioneer Deb Dana called "from state to story."

The idea is that, as I like to say, there are some things you simply cannot think your way through.

Whether we like it or not, our nervous system state is directing every moment of the personal play that is our life.

When our nervous system (and brain -- our brains are embodied so really no separating the two) perceives a person, experience, situation, or thought as unsafe it instantly responds by initiating the cascade of physiological adaptations that are designed to protect us.

Perceives being the operative word.

We are all shaped by our genetics and epigenetics, our cultures, our history, and every trauma big or small that we've ever experienced. And they shape how systems respond, how our mind's narrate or make meaning of what happened, and they are the foundation for all of our behavior. ALL of it.

When we're in a dysregulated state, even a little bit of one, it can be VERY difficult to think our way to a new behavior.

That's why we practice staying in and embodying the state we desire. This state is free of story. It's simply choreographing, if you will, the experience we want to have in our nervous system: one of regulation, harmony, integration, ease, flow, patience, calmness, kindness, compassion, and creativity.

Once we can FEEL that and create it in our nervous system then a new story can be written. That's how the Future Self Reflection works. Taken, in part, from the work of Dr. Dan Hardy's book "Be Your Future Self Now," this practice is a powerful way to start to make the deep, systemic shifts we need to make to change our lives.

LISTEN NOW

I really love this practice and return to it often. I hope you'll love it to.

As always, PLEASE RESPOND with any questions, insights, or ah ha’s you might have about this practice. I’m here for you. 

In service, 

Chantill

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