When My Body Trusts My Life
Every January for the last few years now, I’ve chosen a word — not a resolution or a goal, but a gentle focus word to bring me back to what matters to me. A theme I can return to when things feel chaotic and I don’t know if I'm coming or going.
This year, my word is "Safety". Not exactly physical safety, but the kind of safety that's felt when my body trusts my life, because this hasn’t always been my experience.
Why I’m Sharing This With You
For a long time, my body didn’t trust my life. I was constantly bracing, pushing through, doing what needed to be done, but underneath it all, I felt tired, anxious, unsure, disconnected and overwhelmed. And looking back now, I didn’t even know that was a problem.
But as I started doing my own work—the kind I talk about to my clients and read about in books—I began to realize something. I was constantly overriding myself. I read a quote that inspired this recently by the @holisticpsychologist that said:
“We’re not willing to sacrifice our health and emotional well-being anymore. We’re more conscious of what our bodies are telling us.”
Yes. That’s exactly what I’ve been doing — tuning in to my body.
Our bodies are wired for survival. Even when life is calm, our nervous system might still be in “danger mode” if that’s what it learned to expect. So when I talk about nervous system safety, I don’t mean comfort zones or avoidance.
I mean helping my body feel calm, regulated and safe enough to soften.
To stop bracing. To trust rest. To stop preparing for something to go wrong and trust that I can cope with it. This year, I’m not asking my body to push harder.
I’m learning how to tell it, "You’re safe now."
What That Looks Like in Real Life
Resting regularly, even when there is so much I want to accomplish or experience
Being present to what's around me by noticing the little things
Saying “no” without apology
Walking away from emotional chaos, even when I used to tolerate it, and possibly even perpetuate it in some cases
Listening when my body says, “This doesn’t feel good"
I am also investing in a sauna for my backyard so I can make the practice of slowing down more routine
If you’ve ever felt:
Exhausted after “normal” interactions
Like you’re always bracing for something
Numb, foggy or reactive for reasons you can’t explain
Like rest feels unsafe — or you only collapse when everything is done
You’re not broken. You’re not weak.
Your body is just asking for safety — maybe for the first time in a long time.
This year, I’m learning to befriend my body. To listen sooner. To soften when I can.
To remind myself — and maybe you, too — that:
Being self-aware is not selfish
Being unavailable for dysfunction is not unkind
Feeling safe in your own body is not optional — it’s essential
If this resonates with you, you’re not alone. And if you’re ready to feel supported in your own nervous system healing, we’re here: lauragatien.com.
Because you deserve a life your body doesn’t have to recover from.