Master your emotions with confidence

The ponderings of a Feral Housewife

Issue # 63 || April 4, 2025 || Previous issues​

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Hey Reader,

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How's your anxiety been lately?

If your life's anything like mine, you haven't had time for anxiety!

Life's flying by faster than a bullet train—even while I was sick in bed, time still flew. Mind-boggling!

The distance between bedtime and waking up is frighteningly short.

Stressful events no longer seem to come in waves; they're more like Chinese torture.... a constant maddening drip (and for others its flood-like).

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Imagine the impact that stress, worry, and anxiety are having on your nervous system.

Maybe you're the type that doesn't even realize how much stress you're under (because you're managing well).

In general, you have things under control.

Everyone is doing the best they can, right?

If you're a regular reader of this newsletter, I know you're the proactive type. You're already self-aware and take good care of yourself.

But what about your nervous system?

Is your body giving you subtle but critical cues that your nervous system is in overload and needs more support?

You may be living with a level of stress you're comfortable with and that your brain has accepted and adapted to.

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7 signs your nervous system is overloaded

What clues might your body be giving you that it needs help?

Here are 7 overload signs that you might brush off as "normal":

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(1) Wired but tired: this is you being physically exhausted but pushing through anyway (wait isn't that all of us???). Maybe you're restless, your mind races, or you have trouble falling asleep. (Is the coffee helping or hurting?)

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(2) Muscle tension: oh, this is a big one! Crunched up shoulders, tight jaw, stiff neck, annoying muscle pain or spasms. (Are you just getting old? Or is stress depleting your vital nutrients?)

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(3) Brain fog: this one might legitimately be perimenopause if you're a woman in your 40's or 50's. And yet, did you know that stress makes hormonal fluctuations worse? Stress is NOT good for perimenopause! Please don't make me bring out the science!!!

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(4) Overreacting to small things or being less than cheerful: does hating to interact with your family in the mornings count? What about annoying crumbs left on the counter? Or garbage left behind for you to pick up? Or whatever it is that annoys you...

As I was headed to my cozy little book nook for bible reading, I thought: for a girl who reads her bible every day why aren't you MORE CHEERFUL!? 🙄

It dawned on me. My nervous system has been in "fight or flight" mode for DECADES. It's only been the last few years that I've become aware of it. Have I made progress? Yes! Is it going to take years (plus supplements and other tricks) to relax it? Yep! 🤣

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(5) Digestive disturbances: I don't think we need to expound on this one. You recognize that tight feeling in your belly when you're under stress. Bloating, nausea, diarrhea, and appetite swings can also be telltale signs of overload.

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(6) Ever feel numb or disconnected? Hamster wheel? ✔️Going through the motions. ✔️Stuck in a rut. ✔️You name the cliche I've felt it. You're not just tired or bored. Your body is trying to cope by powering down your nervous system.

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(7) Chronic procrastination or avoidance: 🙋‍♀️ it's easy to judge ourselves as lazy and unmotivated (especially when you live with a 70-year-old father who NEVER stops working) but the truth is—you might be putting off small tasks or delaying laborious tasks because your nervous system is overwhelmed.

Raise your hand if you've said to yourself: "I'm done!! I can't handle one more thing!"🙋‍♀️

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You can't always think your way out 🤯🧠

I know you're doing awesome things to help yourself.

Please don't stop practicing things like:

• mindfulness & meditation
• positive self-talk
• quieting your inner bully / inner judge
• praying / reading your bible
• living in the present moment
• questioning reality, logic, truth, or your perspective
• venting to a friend or therapist

All these are great; however, they all have this in common: you're trying to think your way out of anxiety.

This is what Jonny Miller calls a TOP to BOTTOM approach (aka mind to body).

Today, I'd like to share with you a BOTTOM to TOP approach instead (body to mind).

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Our goal?

Relax the nervous system without using the logical side of our brain.

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Our brain is heavy on dialogue and visual cues, but how does our nervous system "speak"?

Your brain is in constant communication with your nervous system, firing electrical signals along motor and sensory superhighways.

To teach your nervous system to relax, you need to speak in a language it understands.

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This is why stuff like:

-Breathing exercises WORK! (Diaphragm breathing, slow inhales, long exhales while counting.)

-Music and frequencies WORK! (Ever try humming? Or ask me about Inner Voice by Solex (free sessions available.)

-Physical movements WORK! (Stretching, shaking, rocking, crawling like a baby, hiking 😜.)

-EFT (tapping on specific acupressure points) WORK! (This is easy to learn, ask Google or any AI bot for help. If you'd rather learn in person, let me know! I have just the person who can show you how to do it).

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I could go on forever!

But you need to get going, and so do I!

If you're curious, you can do a deeper dive with the resources I've found below.

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Resource nook

Another word for this BOTTOM to TOP approach is Somatic Therapy. This is where you focus on bodily sensations and do various physical movements to release negative emotions and relax the nervous system.

Here's an interesting article on it from Women's Health magazine: https://www.womenshealthmag.com/health/a62430626/somatic-exercise/​

My favorite podcaster, Mel Robbins, did an episode where she shares a somatic exercise her therapist gave her to do (and it worked for her). It's a touching episode. I highly recommend it.

​https://www.melrobbins.com/podcasts/episode-225​

While researching this newsletter, I came across the following website with a LOAD of information on Somatic Self Care.

Somatic Self Care Guide: https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/office-of-well-being/connection-support/somatic-self-care​

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In Summary

You now have another tool in your Ultimate Self-Help Toolkit for reducing anxiety.

This approach doesn't involve thinking. It involves digging deeper into how your body is interpreting stress.

Research it, try it, and let me know how it works for you.

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One last thing

Question for you: is there a person (or two) that you truly respect, admire, or look up to it?

If so, I'd love to hear about this person.

You can share as much or as little as you want. But be specific. Tell me why.

What do you admire or respect about this person and why?

Can't wait to hear your answers! (Just hit reply).

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Until our next feral, fun, Friday adventure,

Anna

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​www.aferalhousewife.com (Check out my work-in-progress blog for more articles)

​https://linktr.ee/aferalhousewife​

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This weekly newsletter is a labor of my creative love meant to inspire you to intentionally grow in all areas of life, especially emotionally, because what you think and how you feel influences everything. ​ If you're enjoying this newsletter why not forward it to a friend? ​ You can also send them a subscribe link: ​​​​Start Mastering Your Emotions with Confidence Today!​ ​ Heal your inner world to heal your outer world. ​ With love, Anna Celotto Creative & Digital Writer