Has breathing ever felt scary for you?
Hi lovely,
I'm glad you're here tonight.
If you've been feeling like your body is always on edge, like you can't fully relax even when nothing is technically wrong, you sure as hell are not alone. Anxiety is creeping up on women all over the globe and it's heartbreaking.
Dysregulation shows up in so many ways. I want to give you an example of this that you may or may not resonate with. If you don't resonate, you may find this crazy but for those of you who do, you will feel so seen.
Have you ever had that terrifying feeling that you just can’t breathe properly?
You take a breath, but suddenly it feels like you have to think about breathing. It no longer feels automatic. You can’t seem to get that satisfying, full breath in, so you try again… and again.
And the more you focus on your breathing, the stranger it feels. Then the panic kicks in.
You start wondering, “What’s wrong with my lungs? Why can’t I breathe properly?”
There’s actually a name for this. It's called air hunger.
It can happen with anxiety, particularly when your nervous system is activated and you become hyper-focused on your breathing.
The scary part is that the sensation can feel very real. But the problem isn’t that your lungs aren’t working, it’s that anxiety has changed the way you’re experiencing your breath. And the more you monitor it, the more unnatural it can feel.
This is just one example of anxiety and nervous system activation could be showing up in your life. Hit reply and tell me if you get it or if you think I sound nuts.
In the meantime, here's one thing that might shift something for you right now.
Your nervous system responds to signals of safety, not commands to calm down. You can't think your way into regulation. But you can create the conditions your body needs to feel safe, and that's a skill you can build.
That's the whole foundation of the work I do. And it's what the 20-day course is built on.
Over the next few days, I'll share a bit more about what that actually looks like, what women experience, what tends to get in the way, and how the 20 days work.
For now, just know you're in the right place.
Courtney
If this doesn't resonate, you can unsubscribe at any time.
Comments