Holding Yourself in Times of Collective Chaos
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There is no way to sugarcoat it—these times are heavy.
If you’ve been feeling overwhelmed, exhausted, or emotionally raw, you are not alone. The energy right now is thick, filled with tension, grief, and an undercurrent of urgency that so many of us can feel in our bones.
We are witnessing immense shifts on a global scale, and while much of what’s happening may feel out of our control, there is one thing you do have agency over: yourself.
Now is not the time to abandon yourself in the overwhelm of the world. Now is the time to prioritize your nervous system, to anchor into your body, and to ensure that your inner world is nourished enough to move through these times with clarity, resilience, and intention.
Here’s how to care for yourself during these chaotic times:
1. Understand How Your Nervous System Processes ChaosWhen collective turmoil arises, your nervous system is the first to react—your body is constantly scanning for safety, even when you aren’t consciously aware of it.
In heightened states of stress, the amygdala (the part of the brain that processes fear and threat detection) takes over, sending your body into fight, flight, freeze, or fawn mode. Your ability to process information rationally decreases, and instead, you react from pure survival.
The first step to caring for yourself? Recognizing when your system is dysregulated.
Do you feel hyper-alert, anxious, or on edge? (Fight/Flight)
Are you struggling to make decisions or feeling emotionally numb? (Freeze)
Do you feel overly accommodating, prioritizing others' needs over your own? (Fawn)
💡 Tangible Action:
Take five minutes to scan your body. Ask yourself:
“How does my body and nervous system feel right now?”
“Where am I holding tension?”
“What do I need to feel safe in this moment?”
From here, you can take steps to regulate (more on that below).
2. Move the Activation Through Your BodyEnergy needs an outlet. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, it’s critical to move the intensity through your body so it doesn’t stay stored as chronic stress or tension (as this leads to inflammation and immunosuppression).
Your body does not process emotions through thinking alone—it processes through movement, breath, and sound.
🔥 Ways to Release Activation:
Shake it out (literally—shake your hands, arms, and legs to discharge tension).
Dance to music that helps you express what you’re feeling.
Scream into a pillow or release deep sighs.
Do breathwork: Try inhale for 4, hold for 4, exhale for 6 to slow your system down.
Get outside: Nature naturally regulates the nervous system.
Remember: You do not need to hold it all inside. Give yourself permission to feel it and let it move.
3. Take Intentional Breaks from Media & DoomscrollingIt’s easy to feel like you need to stay informed at all times, but constant exposure to distressing news is not sustainable.
Your nervous system was not designed to process global trauma 24/7. Constant consumption of social media and the news keeps your body in a loop of fear and reactivity.
💡 Tangible Action:
Set a designated check-in time for news instead of consuming it all day.
Unfollow accounts that agitate your nervous system rather than inform or empower.
Take full digital detox days to restore your energy.
Your awareness is valuable, but it should not come at the cost of your well-being.
4. Contribute to Change in a Way That Feels SustainableMany people feel the pressure to do something, anything in times of crisis—but activism and advocacy should be a marathon, not a sprint.
💡 Tangible Action:
Donate to aligned organizations if that feels accessible.
Sign petitions or contact elected officials.
Engage in conversations with those in your community.
If you have creative skills, use them to amplify awareness and action.
The most sustainable change comes from many people doing their part consistently—not from burning yourself out in a single moment.
5. Prioritize Self-Inquiry & Personal TruthIt is easy to get swept up in external noise, but one of the most powerful things you can do right now is anchor into your own truth.
What do you stand for? What feels aligned for you? What is your role in this collective shift?
Taking time to sit in self-inquiry is crucial.
💡 Tangible Action: Journal on the following prompts:
“What do I feel most called to nurture within myself right now?”
“What belief systems am I questioning or deepening into?”
“How can I show up in a way that honors both my energy and my integrity?”
Remember: Your truth is your power.
6. Healing Is a Radical Act of RebellionCentering yourself in your own healing is not selfish—it is necessary.
When you tend to your own nervous system, when you heal your inner world, you contribute to the collective raising of consciousness. The world needs people who are grounded, emotionally aware, and capable of leading from love rather than fear.
We are not meant to heal alone—healing in community is what allows us to rise together.
That’s why I do this work.
If you’re ready to take this work deeper, to transform your relationship with yourself and your emotions so that you move through life with resilience, clarity, and confidence, I invite you to explore my 6-Month 1:1 Coaching Intensive, Relationship Alchemy.
This container is designed to:
✔ Regulate your nervous system & break free from chronic stress cycles
✔ Heal old wounds & patterns keeping you stuck in survival mode
✔ Reconnect you with your body’s wisdom & intuition
✔ Create unshakable confidence & emotional resilience
✔ Shift the way you move through relationships, life, and leadership
For a limited time, I’m offering 20% off this program. If you’ve been feeling the call, this is your invitation (offer ends 2/22/25).
Or schedule your free discovery call below:
Final ThoughtsYou were not placed here by accident—you are here, in this exact moment in time, for a reason.
Each of us has a role to play in the collective upheaval and transformation we are witnessing. And that role can only be discovered through moments of self-reflection and inquiry.
You are meant to be here. You chose this incarnation.
And what the universe is asking of you now, is that even in the face of injustice and chaos, you hold yourself in the fierceness of love.
Sending you deep care,
Lauren
