If these days feel heavier than usual, you’re not alone.
No matter how the political tides shift, the emotional undercurrent right now is unmistakable. Collective tension. Restless minds. Nervous systems on edge. And even those of us who usually float above the noise can feel it creeping in. This charged, almost electric intensity pulsing through the days.
At This Place, we don’t chase stress away with platitudes. We understand it for what it is. A full body experience. A signal. A pattern that can be softened, not erased, with presence, tools, and intention.
Stress, whether it arrives with a whisper or a roar, affects our deepest systems. It clouds the mind, tightens the breath, hijacks our sleep, and quietly accelerates aging from the inside out. But here’s the quiet truth. We are not powerless. Our bodies already know how to recalibrate. We just need to remember how to listen, and offer the right support at the right time.
Let’s begin here. Your nervous system is listening.
The key player. The vagus nerve. A quiet conductor of calm. It regulates your heart rate, your digestion, your breath. When you activate it, you speak directly to your inner balance. And you don’t need hours of free time or silence in the forest to do so, though we’d never say no to that. Sometimes it starts with the breath. Sometimes with a touch. Sometimes with a simple choice to pause.
Here are seven ways to return to yourself. Especially now.
1. Meditation. A practice of coming home
Meditation doesn’t require perfection. Only presence. Just a few minutes a day can reset your baseline, expand your resilience, and create space between you and the emotional noise. Think of it as emotional hygiene. A deep exhale for the mind. With consistent practice, you are not only regulating stress, you are cultivating adaptability.
2. Breathe like it matters. Because it does
Your breath is a mirror of your state. Shallow and fast when anxious. Slow and spacious when calm. Start by simply observing. Then try this. Inhale gently for six. Exhale softly for seven. Do it a few times and feel your system settle. It’s simple. It’s yours. It works.
3. Touch with intention
A gentle ear massage, tracing from your lobes to the tops and back, can stimulate calming reflex points. Subtle. Discreet. Surprisingly effective. Especially when you are on yet another tense video call or caught in scrolling mode.
4. Tap into emotional freedom
Tapping, also known as EFT, combines touch with intentional phrases to interrupt stress patterns. It may look unusual at first, but it works like acupuncture without the needles. A practice of gently untying inner knots.
5. Know when to disconnect
Information overload is real. At some point, staying informed turns into staying inflamed. Your peace matters more than any headline. Log off. Walk. Cook. Call someone you love. The world will keep turning. Your nervous system does not need to keep spinning with it.
6. Eat like your future self is watching
When stress spikes, so do sugar cravings and the call of caffeine or comfort food. We understand. But blood sugar crashes do more than affect energy. They impact mood, sleep, and resilience. Instead, choose grounding nourishment.
Plenty of water
Greens that grow from the earth
Omega-3s from small clean fish
Proteins from animals raised with care
Adaptogens that support the nervous system, such as Ashwagandha, Rhodiola Fermented ginseng
Supplements like magnesium, L-Theanine, GABA or DHH-B to support the body’s ability to regulate itself from within
7. Your age is not set in stone
A recent study confirmed something we’ve always felt to be true. After deep stress, the body can reverse its biological age with enough rest, nourishment, and care. Yes. It is possible to turn back the clock. Not just cosmetically. But cellularly.
You are not broken. You are adaptive.
So wherever you are in this season, calm or contracted, hopeful or overwhelmed, trust that you have more tools than you think. This moment might be turbulent. But you are not the storm.
Take the next breath slowly. And then the next.
We’re here with you
Your Team This Place
