BBR #206: Nervous system regulation is more than keeping calm

Send us a textToday we take a moment to acknowledge the overwhelming nature of global crises, and focus on what’s within our control, caring for ourselves and our communities, and showing up where we can make a difference.I'm also sharing my tradition to start the new year with a word that I use as an intention, a guide for the year.Unapologetic is my word for the year. It’s a commitment to showing up fully as myself—taking up space without apology, embracing who I am, and shedding the cultural conditioning that encourages us to shrink.Key Takeaways:Navigating Overwhelm: How to protect your nervous system and focus on what’s within your control.Making a Difference: The power of “doing for one what you wish you could do for everyone.”Choosing Intention: Why it’s never too late to set an intention and how to integrate it into your daily life.Unapologetically You: Letting go of the habit of shrinking, apologizing, or doubting your place in the world.Call-to-Action:What’s your word or intention for the year? I’d love to hear it! Share your word with me @jpb.brainbodyresilience or email me at [email protected] If you found this episode helpful, please share it with someone who might need a reminder that it’s never too late to begin again. Don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review—it helps others find this podcast!Support the showResources:Manage Your Stress MentorshipDiscovery call You can find more about Brain-Body Resilience and JPB:On the BBR WebsiteOn InstagramOn FacebookSign up for the BBR newsletter

Send us a textTalking with Kate Zanoni, a movement educator, fitness coach, and author. As an outdoor enthusiast, she specializes in the transformative power of nature by helping her clients find strength, joy, and connection in the outdoors.With more than a decade of experience in orthopedics and sports medicine, she works with outdoor athletes to build resilient strength and break free from recurrent injuries so they can continue enjoying their favorite activities for years to come.We talk about how to step into your power and create balance and control of your health, wellbeing, and your life! Get in there and give it a listen. You can connect with Kate here: Website URLhttp://www.katezanoni.comSocial mediaIG: @kate.zanoniThreads: @kate.zanoniBluesky: @kate-zanoni.bsky.socialSupport the showResources:Manage Your Stress MentorshipDiscovery call You can find more about Brain-Body Resilience and JPB:On the BBR WebsiteOn InstagramOn FacebookSign up for the BBR newsletter

Send us a textToday we're talking feelings, you know, those things we try so hard to ignore, shove down, or pretend don’t exist? “I’m fine… EVERYTHING IS FINE!!!” Sound familiar?This week, I’m diving into emotional regulation—not just to deal with stress, anxiety, or overwhelm, but to actually allow ourselves to feel the feelings. Because ignoring them doesn’t make them go away. It just leaves us stuck, disconnected, and sometimes even overwhelmed by things we don’t fully understand.Here’s what we’ll cover:Why dissociation is a survival tool—and why it can’t be a long-term strategy.The power of naming your emotions (Dr. Peter Levine calls it “Name It to Tame It”).How having a bigger emotional vocabulary helps you understand yourself and communicate better.Recognizing the sensations in your body—what they’re telling you and how to respond.Why it’s okay to feel scared, hurt, or even joy that feels too big to hold.I’ll share my own journey of learning to stop running from emotions and start making space for them, even when they’re messy, uncomfortable, or downright scary. Because feelings are just information. They don’t control you—they guide you.We’ll also talk about tools like emotional vocabulary wheels, noticing body sensations, and calming your nervous system so you can better respond to what your emotions are asking of you.It’s not about getting rid of your feelings. It’s about deciding what you’ll do with them.get in there and give it a listen! Support the showResources:Manage Your Stress MentorshipDiscovery call You can find more about Brain-Body Resilience and JPB:On the BBR WebsiteOn InstagramOn FacebookSign up for the BBR newsletter

Send us a textThere’s a lot of buzz about nervous system regulation—but what does it actually mean? It's not just about being calm and zen all the time. In this episode, we dive into what a regulated nervous system really looks like and why it’s not the same as avoiding emotions or stress altogether.We cover: The difference between dysregulation and emotional expression.What it means to be stuck in hyperarousal (high gear) or hypoarousal (low gear).The concept of the "window of tolerance" and how it varies for everyone.Practical tools for down-regulating when you're overstimulated and up-regulating when you're running on empty.Regulation isn’t about forcing yourself to “be happy” or “just relax.” It’s about understanding what your nervous system needs and using intentional practices to find balance. Whether you’re stuck in traffic, overwhelmed by daily stress, or feeling disconnected, these tools can help you show up as your best self.You can't live your best life stuck in dysregulation. Get in there and give it a listen! Support the showResources:Manage Your Stress MentorshipDiscovery call You can find more about Brain-Body Resilience and JPB:On the BBR WebsiteOn InstagramOn FacebookSign up for the BBR newsletter

Send us a textToday we’re diving into the complicated feelings surrounding this time of year, and the holidays celebrated... From the joy of a delicious meal (all about the sides—no thanks, turkey!) to the reality of its historical roots in colonization and indigenous genocide, this episode holds space for it all.We’ll explore:The importance of acknowledging indigenous history and how to take meaningful action.Resources and accounts to follow, including Native Land Digital, and why land acknowledgments matter.The practice of holding complexity—balancing conflicting emotions and building capacity for growth.How routines help us manage stress, why flexibility is key, and how to adjust when life shakes things up.A reminder to check in with yourself during the holiday season, embracing honesty over perfection.Whether this season brings joy or challenges, this conversation offers insights, resources, and a reminder to care for your nervous system and show up with compassion for yourself and others.Resources Mentioned:Native Land Digital: native-land.caAccounts to follow: @decolonizemyself, @ancestorsfuture, @riseindigenous, and more.Take a deep breath, grab your favorite side dish, and let’s navigate the season with intention.Support the showResources:Manage Your Stress MentorshipDiscovery call You can find more about Brain-Body Resilience and JPB:On the BBR WebsiteOn InstagramOn FacebookSign up for the BBR newsletter

Send us a textToday, we’re taking a step back to see the big picture of what it means to be healthy—not just physically, but as a whole ass person shaped by our environments, experiences, and opportunities.We get into:Social Determinants of Health: The non-medical factors like housing, education, and access to resources that shape well-being.Privilege: Understanding the privileges we hold, recognizing barriers others face, and using our agency to create meaningful change—for ourselves and our communities.Biopsychosocial Model: Viewing health through the interconnected lenses of biology, psychology, and social environment.Wellness is more than a 5 AM cold plunge or organic smoothies. It’s about understanding the systems that influence our health, the choices we can make within those systems, and the small, consistent actions that build resilience, self-trust, and joy.This episode challenges the oversimplified "just do it" narratives in wellness culture and highlights the beauty of incremental growth. Whether you have two minutes to breathe or an hour to move your body, there’s always space to care for yourself and practice agency.Get in there and give it a listen! Support the showResources:Manage Your Stress MentorshipDiscovery call You can find more about Brain-Body Resilience and JPB:On the BBR WebsiteOn InstagramOn FacebookSign up for the BBR newsletter

Send us a textIn this post-election episode, we dive into the tension many of us are feeling in the U.S. today.I share my own struggle, wondering how people I encounter may have voted against basic human rights, and wrestle with what it truly means to stand for “liberty and justice for all.”We'll explore confirmation bias, how algorithms reinforce our beliefs, and how this divides our shared reality. With our country polarized, each of us often sees our beliefs as the undeniable truth, which complicates our capacity to connect—even with loved ones who hold opposing views. So, how do we move forward?In this episode, we focus on what we can control. From prioritizing joy to creating meaningful community connections, I'll discuss how we can resist through intentional focus on the world we want to see. Along with some nerdy brain science things, I explain how tuning our focus can help us align with our goals and reinforce our values, especially when our actions radiate out to impact those around us.Through community, rest, and our own quiet rebellions, we can find the strength to thrive—not just survive... a reminder that showing up as our best, fullest selves is an act of resistance and resilience. Key Points:Navigating post-election tension and personal reflections on patriotism and justiceUnderstanding confirmation bias and the impact of algorithms on our perceptionsHow the RAS (Reticular Activating System) can help us focus on positive changeResisting hopelessness by prioritizing joy and communityShowing up for our communities by being the strongest versions of ourselvesGet in there and give it a listen! Support the showResources:Manage Your Stress MentorshipDiscovery call You can find more about Brain-Body Resilience and JPB:On the BBR WebsiteOn InstagramOn FacebookSign up for the BBR newsletter

Send us a textToday I offer a reminder that the goal of regulating your nervous system is not to stay calm all the time, but to be able to bring your nervous system into a flexible state where you are able to go back and forth from all the emotions and states of being human and not get stuck in one. Regulating your nervous system is something we do throughout the day with nervous system hygiene, those small check ins with your body and just paying attention to what you feel like … which is what we often disregard and dedicate our attention outward. I am at a loss for any real words today, so I offer this exercise to help resource and regulate. Use it, and come back to it whenever you need. Get in there and give it a listen!Support the showResources:Manage Your Stress MentorshipDiscovery call You can find more about Brain-Body Resilience and JPB:On the BBR WebsiteOn InstagramOn FacebookSign up for the BBR newsletter

Send us a textIn today’s episode, we’re exploring how both external and internal environments shape our stress and anxiety—and how we sometimes unknowingly contribute. From the physical spaces we occupy to the content we consume, every aspect of our environment contributes to our mental and emotional state. But while some factors are beyond our control, many of our responses to these environments are within our power to change.We’ll discuss:External Environment: How safe, supportive, and nourishing are the spaces around you? We’ll consider the impact of surroundings like work, neighborhood, and social media, and examine how these affect us on a physiological level.Internal Environment: What thoughts, beliefs, and self-talk are you cultivating? Your “diet” isn’t just food but also what you read, watch, and listen to. How much of this is truly serving you, and where might it be adding to your stress?The Illusion of Control: Why worry feels like a solution but often traps us in a loop, and how to differentiate between productive action and unhelpful rumination.Taking Action & Finding Control: The small, conscious steps you can take to create a safer, healthier internal and external environment—from deep breaths to choosing different habits, thoughts, and surroundings.Get in there and give it a listen! Support the showResources:Manage Your Stress MentorshipDiscovery call You can find more about Brain-Body Resilience and JPB:On the BBR WebsiteOn InstagramOn FacebookSign up for the BBR newsletter

Send us a textThis episode is a follow up to the last, we're looking further into the root causes of anxiety and giving a different perspective that will actually help us treat these symptoms.  Instead of viewing anxiety as a disorder, let's call it what it is, a response from your body to internal or external stressors. This shift helps break down the myth that anxiety is a permanent state or something inherently wrong with you.We discuss how unmanaged stress, habitual thought patterns, and physical responses build up over time, creating symptoms that your body uses to signal a need for change. Anxiety is not something you "have"—it's something you experience, and with the right tools, you can address it.In this episode we cover: Understanding anxiety as a response, not a disorder.How stress accumulates and manifests as anxiety.The importance of learning to communicate with your body’s signals.Shifting from “why” questions to “how” questions to break the anxiety cycle.How to differentiate between real and imagined threats.Practical strategies for addressing the key drivers of anxiety, including worry, overwhelm, avoidance, trauma, and self-judgment.By building knowledge, skills, and taking consistent action, you can create lasting change. Anxiety didn’t appear overnight, and it won’t disappear instantly—but with practice, it becomes manageable.Get in there and give it a listen! Support the showResources:Manage Your Stress MentorshipDiscovery call You can find more about Brain-Body Resilience and JPB:On the BBR WebsiteOn InstagramOn FacebookSign up for the BBR newsletter