July is summer at my place. And summer brings up all sorts of beautiful, crazy and hard for me….

How would you describe your summer?

Fun....relaxing....exhausting -- adding ands and both is powerful because….

For me, summer has been:

Fun and exhausting.

Relaxing and stressful.

Good & hard,

Really good and Really hard,

Boring and way too busy,

And all the spaces in between.

Where I live, summer brings lots of sunshine, along with slightly cool air for my early morning runs. The days are warm, the evenings are cool and just right for outdoor games and other shenanigans.

Summer also brings less strict or sometimes just crazy, but new schedules to adjust too.

It brings more or less time with friends and often, more time around my immediate family and my family of origin.

For me, and so many others I talk with and work with, any one of these can feel like gifts and/or be really hard to manage.

For some, being around family can bring comfort, connection, and even healing support. When you feel seen, loved, and safe, it can remind your nervous system that you belong, and that you don’t have to do it all alone.

For others, it can feel heavier. Being around family might stir up old patterns, triggers, or a sense of being unseen or misunderstood. It can even feel like you’re taking steps backward when those familiar dynamics and old patterns reappear.

For some immediate family is hard, for others family of origin is hard, for many, it’s a little bit of both….or just one or the other….

Whatever your experience is this summer, it is valid, it is real — and today, I’d like to invite each of us (me included) to meet whatever our experience is with compassion and care for our nervous system.

Also an invitation to remember:
We deserve and need care for ourselves, too — including moments to recharge.

When we’re around people more than usual — even supportive people — it can be easy to override our own needs for rest, space, and the powerful work of noticing what’s coming up inside. Building in intentional alone time can help us make sure we also give ourselves time to process, regulate, and reconnect with ourselves. And sometimes we can co-regulate and do all that processing with others as we do our self care. It doesn't have to be either/or.
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No matter where we each find ourselves this summer day….I’d like to offer some specific somatic & vagal tools for you to try. They can offer support, release or grounding, whatever our system might need.

You can read through and see which one(s) you are drawn to.

🌻 If family feels supportive and healing…

- These tools wake up our vagus nerve and let this healthy social connection resource our system.

• Let yourself fully receive it. Notice how your body feels in those moments — where does the warmth, ease, or connection land in your body? Place a hand there and breathe into it. Give yourself 5 breaths and check in with how your body breathes when you receive support.
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• Anchor in the safety. Look around and orient yourself to the faces, sounds, and surroundings that feel good. Let your eyes linger on what feels nourishing. You could journal or share with someone why things feel safe.
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• Build in alone time, even here. Step outside to savor a quiet moment with your own breath, body, and thoughts — soaking in the good without getting overwhelmed.​
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• Engage your vagus nerve gently. Humming softly after a meal or in the car can help deepen the feeling of regulation and connection.

🌵 If family feels triggering or difficult…

- These tools wake up our vagus nerve and let our system decide if we need to move into movement or rest, based on the state of our system.

• Ground yourself in the present. Press your feet into the floor, or hold onto a cool glass of water to remind your body you’re here now — not back in the old story.​
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• Take intentional breaks. Excuse yourself for a few minutes — step into the bathroom, outside, or to another room and then let yourself breathe, shake out, or just be. If you are activated - shake it out and then breathe and relax. If you are shutting down, move slowly to wake up and come back to presence. ​
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• Soothe your system afterward. Try the ‘Voo’ sound, a gentle neck stretch, or even laying your hands on your heart and belly to reconnect and calm your body. Again, ways to remind your body you are creating safety in your body right now. This moment is not the past and you have choices now.

Whether this summer feels light or heavy — or a mix of both — your body is seeking to speak to you and let you know how it’s ready to rewire and heal.

These light, heavy, in between moments are opportunities to notice, turn towards, and even rewrite what our body has learned about safety.

We don’t have to do it all perfectly. We don’t have to be “on” all the time. And we are allowed to take up space — both with others and with ourselves.

✨ If you’d like a safe space to learn more tools like these and practice them with guidance and support — I’d love to invite you to my next free healing challenge on July 31st.

In this challenge, you’ll discover how to feel safer in your body (even around family, stress, or old patterns), and leave with at least one simple tool that actually works for you.

Click below to save your spot for the free July 31st challenge.

Wishing you a summer full of presence, choice, care, and healing,

Remember, ❤️

You Matter. Your Healing Matters. You Are Worth It!

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