22 Comments

Betty-Ann, I have been so enjoying Taking Note. I always look forward to reading these weekly reminders on mindfulness and paying attention to one's experience. Your invitation to us all is one of openness - giving us accessible, grounded ways to spark some curiosity and compassion for ourselves and the life moment we are currently in through a lens of creative expression.

And Feed The Monster is like a meatier version of that with you talking about your experiences, your process, your humanness and vulnerability through humour and art that is real, authentic and captivating.

The world needs more of this and I’m so glad you are here. THANK YOU ⚡️♥️

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Thank you Rachelle 🥲. Boy, when you comment, you really COMMENT! Made me feel weepy ❤️‍🔥👀

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Great post and artwork as usual! The nervous system reset that I like best is the Voo breathing method - I find it so grounding! (https://insighttimer.com/originalblueprint/guided-meditations/regulating-the-nervous-system-with-the-voo-breathing-method)

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I just bookmarked this in insight timer to try out, thanks for the tip!

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Hmmm, yes. I've heard of this. I will check it out! Thanks Megan.

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Meaty post, lots to digest...and I love the graphic and page layout.

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Thanks Smitty XO

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Really appreciate this one and relating to all the comments here. I sometimes think of my nervous system as a wild horse that got spooked by a bee or something. There is no reasoning with that horsey, just soothing and not getting mad at her. She means we'll!

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*well, and this is Bex. Happy belated birthday!

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Thank you Bex! I love the idea of your nervous system as a wild horse, haha! I'm slowly becoming more aware of when my wild horse is bucking, which seems to be half the battle. When you're on a bucking horse but you're not even aware that you're on that horse... well, that's a problem 😅. Why I'm only figuring out these things at this late stage, I cannot say 🤔

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I can relate to being a late bloomer of a jockey haha. It's wild that we can have these really intense experiences (anxiety etc.) and they just become so normal that you don't even notice them. Habituation is a helluva drug!

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You can say that again sista 😶

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Thank you for this and the reminder to do a few rounds of cyclic sighing for my own dysregulated (oversensitive, overreactive) nervous system. I like to remind myself that, as much as I love being at the top of the polyvagal ladder, the goal is to have a flexible nervous system that can transition from fight/flight and freeze to a ventral vagal state more easily. In other words, activation happens and will keep happening so I'll keep using my tools to deal! Think I might even do a body map now too because you've INSPIRED me!

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That is my fondest wish! To inspire you (and others)!

We just got back from four days up island during which I did not do any cyclic sighing, or meditation, or reading, or writing 😶‍🌫️. Time to get back on track!

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I opened this one this morning and had to read it RIGHT AWAY....one of the best things for my nervous system is to laugh as I'm digesting wise words. The part about the vehicles with large placards got me giggling...please DO NOT rein it in next time.

Qi Gong has been a life saver for me to experience this body I hang out in through a whole new way. Very good for my nervous system and the truckload of emotions I feel every day.

I too, am so glad you are here. Thank you. xoxo

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Thank you so much Angela! My mother used to do Qi Gong, which is why I discounted it, haha. But a friend did sing its praises recently and I meant to look into it, but FORGOT. Sigh.

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Dude! Beautiful post!

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DUDE, THANK YOU! ❤️‍🔥

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Another banger of a post. Love all of this far more than I have the energy to articulate right now. Suffice it to say that what you wrote, and how, and why, land pretty deep with me. My fascia says "fuck to the yes!"

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Thanks Renée!

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Don’t reign it in!!! You are fantastic. I hear you about dysregulation. That’d be me. Thank you for sharing, BA. 💕

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Thank you so much😻!

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