How Our Nervous Systems Get Hijacked in Uncertain Times—And How to Reclaim Our Balance…One Day at a Time

Let’s face it… These times are hard. What does that clever FB meme say? 

“My desire to stay well informed is currently at odds with my desire to remain sane?”

Indeed, the world feels like a pressure cooker right now. Even for those of us consciously dedicated to staying open-hearted and engaged, our nervous systems are wired for survival, and it doesn’t take much to send us spiraling into stress responses we don’t even realize are happening—until we feel ungrounded, sick, or exhausted.

I had a humbling experience of this phenomenon just a few week-ends ago. I happily visited my daughter in another city, far from Santa Fe.  I was eager to be present for her and her beloved dog’s training session, a seemingly small, everyday moment I was yearning to share.

Living at a distance often makes my heart ache to have more than just FaceTime conversations. I unwittingly made the mistake of bringing my cell phone to dog training, determined to keep an eye on football scores (because, apparently, I now care about football in these wild times), and, I must admit, I watch football sometimes and hope to maybe even get a glimpse of Taylor arriving at the stadium to cheer on Travis. What could go wrong?

Well… I couldn’t figure out how to turn off the steady stream of newsbreak notifications that intruded on moments of planned joy. Before I knew it, I was being bombarded by headlines of extreme mandates and global unrest. 

My nervous system had a response. Nausea crept in. My stomach clenched. I felt physically off-kilter. Unwittingly, I found myself overeating at my next meal, trying to counterbalance the unease.

Sound familiar? This is what happens when you mix fight-or-flight with a side of mindless scrolling.

What Exactly Happens to Our Nervous System Under Stress?

When we perceive threat—whether it’s a physical danger or an emotional one—our autonomic nervous system activates a survival response:

• Fight: We feel angry, irritable, ready to argue or take action. Our muscles tense, heart rate increases, and stress hormones flood our system.
• Flight: Anxiety and restlessness surge, making us want to escape, whether by physically leaving or numbing out with distractions.
• Freeze: We shut down, feeling stuck, dissociated, or fatigued. Our energy drains, and we may feel incapable of action.
• Fawn: We become overly accommodating, people-pleasing, and neglect our own needs to avoid conflict.

In my case, my nervous system was bouncing between flight (the restless checking of scores and news) and freeze (feeling overwhelmed and powerless). My stomach decided to play its own game—let’s call it nausea somersaults—and the emotional dysregulation was my body’s way of saying, You’ve hit capacity. Please exit all this overstimulation now…

And what about you?  Does this sound familiar?

Signs Your Nervous System is Activated

1. Do I feel tense, nauseous, or have a racing heart?
2. Am I doom-scrolling, obsessing over news, or feeling powerless?
3. Have I lost my appetite—or am I eating mindlessly to self-soothe?
4. Do I feel disconnected from my body, emotions, or purpose?
5. Am I avoiding rest or feeling guilty when I slow down?

Fortunately there is hope – but we must keep paying attention to when we get hijacked…

Five Remedies to Rebalance and Stay Engaged

• Grounding Practices – Walk barefoot, breathe deeply, and tune into your senses.
• Creative Expression – Paint, write, play music—expressive outlets release stress.
• Intentional Information Diet – Stay informed, but set limits. No news first thing in the morning or before bed.
• Activist Engagement with Boundaries – Find one meaningful way to contribute to the community without drowning in helplessness.
• Body-Based Release – Dance, stretch, or shake off tension to signal safety to your nervous system.

Finding Nourishment in Community Spaces

One of the best ways I’ve found to regulate my nervous system, connect, and experience joy is through live music in creative spaces. Recently, my friend Sandy and I went to Unit B in Santa Fe to see a great bass player and our project’s sound engineer, Jon Gagan, play in a quartet with other friends. The music was exquisite and alive with improvisation, a reminder of how art can settle the heart and lift the spirit in ways nothing else can.

But it also made me think—how often do we truly support the artists in our communities? So many musicians, poets, painters, and performers pour their hearts into their work, often for little to no pay, offering their gifts to keep culture, connection, and creativity alive.

If we want these spaces to thrive, we need to show up for them—buy a ticket, donate, share their work, or simply be present and offer gratitude. What if this is a way we can contribute to our community while soaking in the good vibes?

The Leadership We Need

Also this week-end I saw Conclave, a beautifully evocative film already being talked about for the Oscars. It offers a relevant and contemporary lens on leadership, asking:

• What kind of leadership do our spirits need right now?
• What does it mean to lead with wisdom, humility, and a commitment to the greater good?

As we navigate these times, I believe that true leadership isn’t just about politics—it’s about how we show up in our communities, how we honor creativity, and how we support the spaces that bring us back to ourselves.

What’s Nourishing Your Soul?

I’d love to hear from you.

• What creative spaces in your community are bringing you comfort and connection?
• Where do you go to feel inspired?
• How do you support the artists who nourish your soul?

Let’s lift each other up. Let’s support the places and people who keep beauty, music, and meaning alive.

Here’s to another day of choosing presence over burnout.

Let’s do this… let’s keep our humanity alive…one day at a time.

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Other soul nourishing Santa Fe favorites:

The Ron Crowder band (with TeriLyn Browning) at the Cowgirl

Any show that involves pianist Bob Fox and drummer John Trentacosta

Any show at Paradisio- a wonderful community performance space

Jean Cocteau theater- now with a live band accompanying select movies orchestrated by Ross Hamlin. 

Look for more wonderful acts in future newsletters…

Look for Module #8 launching soon – Connecting with Your Inner Child – a sure fire way to do that is to get out of your head and connect with your creativity.