heal.with.nav

13/12/2025

🛑 Feeling ‘On’ 24/7? Read This.

It’s not an anxious brain, it’s an exhausted nervous system trying to keep up.

You have the “Permission to pause”: If you’re overwhelmed, you are not failing. You are simply running on a survival setting that was designed for short-term danger, not long-term stress.

I know the idea of “healing” feels huge, but we don’t need radical overhaul—we need small, repetitive acts of safety.

This graphic isn’t a checklist to stress over; it’s a menu of micro-shifts to whisper to your body: “You are safe now.”

Here are the non-negotiables your nervous system is asking for (and why):
👉 Structure: Predictability = Safety. A simple routine calms the threat center of the brain.
👉 Saying “No”: A full-body boundary. Releases the tension of obligation you carry in your muscles.
👉 Diaphragmatic Breathing: The only voluntary tool we have to directly activate the Vagus Nerve and shift out of fight/flight.
👉 Good Sleep: Non-negotiable repair time. If you struggle, start with a 10-minute wind-down routine.
👉 Movement: Not exercise, but a gentle shake or sway to literally discharge stored trauma energy.

🔥 Save this post as your gentle permission slip.

Share it with one friend who needs to know they’re not broken.

Tell me: Which one shift on this list is the smallest, easiest win you can give yourself this week? 👇

𝘏𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘰, 𝘮𝘺 𝘯𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘕𝘢𝘷𝘳𝘰𝘰𝘱, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘐 𝘢𝘮 𝘢 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘶𝘮𝘢 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘱𝘪𝘴𝘵 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘶𝘮𝘢 𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘷𝘪𝘷𝘰𝘳𝘴 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘭 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘮𝘦, 𝘰𝘸𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘫𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘺 “𝘶𝘯𝘢𝘱𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘨𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺”! 💪🏽💖

12/12/2025

The world tells us “Just be peaceful,” but for trauma survivors, finding that calm is a process. It’s not a switch you flip; it’s a monumental act of self-love built on small, brave steps. This graphic captures the journey perfectly.
The 5 Quiet Steps to Inner Peace:
1. 💔 HEAL: This isn’t about being ‘cured,’ but acknowledging the wounds and gently tending to them. This means therapy, journaling, or just letting yourself feel whatever comes up.
2. 🧭 FIND BALANCE POINT: That shaky, dysregulated feeling? Finding balance is the messy work of retraining your nervous system to feel safe in your own skin again.
3. 🛑 PUT BOUNDARIES: Learning to say “No” without guilt, protecting your energy, and realizing your worth isn’t tied to your availability to others. This is non-negotiable for recovery.
4. 💨 LEARN TO DE-STRESS: Trauma keeps the body locked in survival mode. This step is about actively learning new tools: grounding, breathwork, movement, and leaving hustle culture behind.
5. ⏳ PAUSE: The most underestimated step. Pausing is an act of rebellion against the constant urge to run or distract. It’s choosing stillness where the real healing can finally take root.
If you are on this path, please be incredibly proud of how far you’ve come. The work is hard, but you are worth the peace you are fighting for. You are seen.
Which step are you currently focusing on? Share a comment or tag a friend who needs this reminder today. 👇

𝘏𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘰, 𝘮𝘺 𝘯𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘕𝘢𝘷𝘳𝘰𝘰𝘱, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘐 𝘢𝘮 𝘢 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘶𝘮𝘢 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘱𝘪𝘴𝘵 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘶𝘮𝘢 𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘷𝘪𝘷𝘰𝘳𝘴 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘭 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘮𝘦, 𝘰𝘸𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘫𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘺 “𝘶𝘯𝘢𝘱𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘨𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺”! 💪🏽💖

10/12/2025

YOUR BRAIN DOESN’T ALWAYS KNOW WHAT’S REAL —
SO LET’S USE THAT TO HEAL.

Have you noticed how just thinking about a stressful conversation can make your heart race… even when nothing is actually happening?

That’s because the brain doesn’t truly distinguish between real experience and imagined experience — the same neural circuits light up, and the same chemicals (endorphins, dopamine, serotonin) are released.

✨ Here’s the part that’s often overlooked:
If imagining a threat can activate the stress response…
then imagining safety can activate the healing response just as powerfully.

This is why resourcing, grounding, visualization, and somatic imagery work so well — they gently signal to the nervous system:

“You are safe. You have support. You’re not alone.”

🧠 Research shows:
• Mentally rehearsing calming scenes reduces amygdala activation
• Imagining supportive touch increases oxytocin release
• Visualizing successful regulation strengthens real-life regulation skills
• Athletes use this same mechanism to build muscle memory — without moving a muscle

So today, try a small experiment:

💛 Imagine someone who makes you feel safe
💛 Picture a place where your body feels at home
💛 Recall a moment you felt proud, held, or steady
💛 Let your breath match that memory

Your body will begin to respond — not because the memory is happening now,
but because your nervous system believes the felt sense of it.

If your brain is going to imagine…
let it imagine what stabilizes you, not what scares you.

✨ This is the gentle science of healing.
✨ This is how we grow new pathways of safety.

09/12/2025

RESPONDING > REACTING ✨

Most of us never learned how to pause.
We learned to react — quickly, automatically, protectively —
because our nervous system had to make fast decisions in environments filled with chaos, criticism, unpredictability, or emotional overwhelm.

Reacting wasn’t wrong.
It was our body doing exactly what it needed to do to keep us safe.
It was survival.

But healing invites us into a different rhythm…
A softer rhythm where:

💛 our body gets to slow down
💛 our emotions get to be felt, not feared
💛 our inner world gets to be heard with compassion, not urgency

The image above offers 10 gentle, nervous-system-friendly ways that help us respond rather than react — especially when we feel overwhelmed or activated.

These aren’t skills we’re “supposed to already know.”
They are capacities our body grows into when safety becomes possible:

💛 Take a breath
💛 Name the feeling
💛 Bring awareness back into our body
💛 Practice curiosity instead of judgement
💛 Question the story our mind is creating
💛 Move our body to reset our system
💛 Give ourselves a one-minute pause
💛 Assume positive intent
💛 Write before we speak
💛 Remember: big feelings are normal — they make us beautifully human

Healing isn’t about never reacting.
It’s about building the capacity to catch ourselves with tenderness
before the old pattern takes over.

Our reactions make sense.
Our emotions make sense.
And our healing — at our own pace — makes even more sense. 🌿💛

𝘏𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘰, 𝘮𝘺 𝘯𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘕𝘢𝘷𝘳𝘰𝘰𝘱, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘐 𝘢𝘮 𝘢 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘶𝘮𝘢 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘱𝘪𝘴𝘵 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘶𝘮𝘢 𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘷𝘪𝘷𝘰𝘳𝘴 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘭 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘮𝘦, 𝘰𝘸𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘫𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘺 — “𝘶𝘯𝘢𝘱𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘨𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺.” 💪🏽💖

09/12/2025

08/12/2025

Trauma Responses Masquerading as Personality

The traits we identify with most, like being hyper-independent or always needing to be busy, are often survival strategies our nervous system developed to keep us safe from past trauma. They are not flaws, rather evidence of your resilience.

Are any of these deep-seated responses showing up for you?
* “I’m always independent.” (Fear of relying on others.)
* “I avoid confrontation.” (Associating conflict with danger.)
* “I stay constantly busy.” (Avoiding stillness.)
* “I don’t ask for help.” (Past boundaries were met with shame/criticism.)
* “I like being in control.” (A response to feeling powerless.)
* “I overthink everything.” (Nervous system constantly on high alert.)
* “I don’t trust easily.” (Trust was broken too often.)

Recognizing these patterns is the first, most compassionate step in healing. Be kind to your protective self.

If you resonate with any of these, sign up for our workshop happening in March 2026. For more information, go to www.lotushealingasia.com.

𝘏𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘰, 𝘮𝘺 𝘯𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘕𝘢𝘷𝘳𝘰𝘰𝘱, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘐 𝘢𝘮 𝘢 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘶𝘮𝘢 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘱𝘪𝘴𝘵 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘶𝘮𝘢 𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘷𝘪𝘷𝘰𝘳𝘴 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘭 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘮𝘦, 𝘰𝘸𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘫𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘺 — “𝘶𝘯𝘢𝘱𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘨𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺.” 💪🏽💖

05/12/2025

That hyper-vigilance that won’t switch off?

The memory flashbacks?

Those emotional waves that seem to rise out of nowhere? ✨**

Let’s take a breath together.

Because these aren’t signs that we are broken.
They are signs that we survived something overwhelming.

Our systems aren’t failing us —
they’re doing exactly what they learned to do to keep us alive.

Trauma reshapes the brain and body, yes…
but it reshapes them out of protection, never defect.

Let’s gently understand this from the inside:

▪️ Our Amygdala
It isn’t “too much.”
It became vigilant because it had to.
It learned the world wasn’t always safe, and it tried to protect us the only way it knew.

▪️ Our Hippocampus
It’s not failing at memory.
It’s overwhelmed — still trying to sort experiences that were too big, too fast, too frightening.
That’s why a smell, sound, or moment can pull us back.

▪️ Our Prefrontal Cortex
When it goes quiet during stress, that’s not weakness.
It’s a circuit breaker saying:
“This is too much. Let me shield you.”

▪️ Our Nervous System
Whether we stay “on,” collapse “off,” or swing between the two —
these are survival strategies, not flaws.
These patterns once kept us safe.

**✨ Nothing about these responses is wrong.

Everything about them is wise. ✨**

Our bodies learned how to survive what should never have happened.
They adapted in extraordinary ways.
And those adaptations deserve compassion — not shame, not judgment, not self-blame.

Healing doesn’t mean forcing ourselves to “move on.”
Healing means slowly teaching our brain and body:

“The danger has passed.
It’s different now.
Safety is something we can learn to feel again.”

We are protective, adaptive, resilient beings who went through too much —
and survived. WE ARE NOT BROKEN!!

And now, with gentleness and support,
we get to learn what peace feels like.

03/12/2025

The Healed. The Healing. The Unhealed. ✨

Some days, it feels like the whole world is moving through these three energies. The healed move with intention — they respond instead of reacting, they choose calm because they’ve done the inner work. The healing are in the process — growing, unlearning, getting it right on some days and slipping on others, but still choosing to show up for themselves. And the unhealed lead from their wounds, project their pain, and mistake chaos for connection.

But the truth is… we’re all somewhere on this spectrum. Healing isn’t about perfection — it’s about awareness, capacity, choice, and how gently we meet ourselves in moments of activation.

👉 Self-awareness is the difference.
👉 Accountability is the bridge.
👉 Emotional maturity is the goal.

If you’re in the thick of it right now, remember: you’re not behind… you’re becoming. 💛

𝘏𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘰, 𝘮𝘺 𝘯𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘕𝘢𝘷𝘳𝘰𝘰𝘱, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘐 𝘢𝘮 𝘢 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘶𝘮𝘢 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘱𝘪𝘴𝘵 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘶𝘮𝘢 𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘷𝘪𝘷𝘰𝘳𝘴 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘭 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘮𝘦, 𝘰𝘸𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘫𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘺 — “𝘶𝘯𝘢𝘱𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘨𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺.” 💪🏽💖

20/11/2025

The myth that healing means constant calm. 🌊

We often confuse the goal of healing. We strive for a perfectly still lake, where no ripple ever disturbs the surface. The calm we chase then becomes dependent on external conditions remaining smooth / perceived internal safety within our body.

But life isn’t always a still lake. It’s an ocean with waves, currents, and storms.

Nervous System Regulation isn’t about wishing the waves away. It’s about becoming a skilled sailor, building a sturdy boat, and having the internal capacity to navigate choppy waters without capsizing. It’s the stable core you maintain even when things around you are messy.

Developing regulatory capacity slowly and gently is actually focusing on strengthening your boat! This is where true, resilient peace resides.

𝘏𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘰, 𝘮𝘺 𝘯𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘕𝘢𝘷𝘳𝘰𝘰𝘱, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘐 𝘢𝘮 𝘢 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘶𝘮𝘢 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘱𝘪𝘴𝘵 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘶𝘮𝘢 𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘷𝘪𝘷𝘰𝘳𝘴 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘭 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘮𝘦, 𝘰𝘸𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘫𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘺 — “𝘶𝘯𝘢𝘱𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘨𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺.” 💪🏽💖

16/11/2025

What if healing started with shaking for 30 seconds?

We say it all the time — “Just shake it out.”
But how often do we actually give ourselves permission to do it?

Today, I’m inviting you to take those words literally.
To stand up… and actually shake.
Not because you’re doing something wrong. Not because you’re “too emotional.”
But because your nervous system has a story to complete — and movement is how it speaks.

Shaking isn’t silly.
It’s biological.
It’s instinctive.
It’s how the body releases what never got to finish.

Animals do it naturally.
Humans overthink it — but the survival physiology is the same.

So yes — you can shake it out.
Not as a joke. Not as a performance. But as a deep act of self-support, self-compassion, and nervous system repair.

🧠 Movement is not optional.
💛 Completion is healing.
🌱 Your body still remembers the way home.

𝘏𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘰, 𝘮𝘺 𝘯𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘕𝘢𝘷𝘳𝘰𝘰𝘱, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘐 𝘢𝘮 𝘢 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘶𝘮𝘢 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘱𝘪𝘴𝘵 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘶𝘮𝘢 𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘷𝘪𝘷𝘰𝘳𝘴 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘭 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘮𝘦, 𝘰𝘸𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘫𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘺 — “𝘶𝘯𝘢𝘱𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘨𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺.” 💪🏽

15/11/2025

Most of us move between dysregulation and regulation multiple times a day.
And that doesn’t mean something is wrong with us — it’s simply how the nervous system works.

There’s a natural rhythm to being human.
We rise, fall, activate, settle, expand, contract.
This movement is resilience.

The real challenge isn’t dysregulation itself.
The challenge is when we get stuck in one state for too long…
when we can’t bounce back…
when the system stops returning to its natural flow.

So instead of labeling ourselves (or others) as
“too much,”
“dysregulated,”
or “not able”

let’s remember this:

🤍 Dysregulation is a normal part of being alive. And every time we move through it, we build more capacity for life.

𝘏𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘰, 𝘮𝘺 𝘯𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘕𝘢𝘷𝘳𝘰𝘰𝘱, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘐 𝘢𝘮 𝘢 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘶𝘮𝘢 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘱𝘪𝘴𝘵 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘶𝘮𝘢 𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘷𝘪𝘷𝘰𝘳𝘴 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘭 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘮𝘦, 𝘰𝘸𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘫𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘺 — “𝘶𝘯𝘢𝘱𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘨𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺.” 💪🏽💖

11/11/2025

You don’t need to be calm to be healing. 🕊️

For the longest time, I thought healing meant “no more triggers, no more anxiety.”
But real healing feels… different.

It’s shaky. tender. honest.
It’s learning to breathe through the chaos, not away from it.
It’s showing up even when your body whispers, “hide.”
It’s realizing calm isn’t the absence of emotion — it’s the ability to stay with yourself through it all.

Regulation isn’t about fixing yourself.
It’s about coming home to yourself — again and again. 🤍

𝘏𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘰, 𝘮𝘺 𝘯𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘕𝘢𝘷𝘳𝘰𝘰𝘱, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘐 𝘢𝘮 𝘢 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘶𝘮𝘢 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘱𝘪𝘴𝘵 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘶𝘮𝘢 𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘷𝘪𝘷𝘰𝘳𝘴 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘭 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘮𝘦, 𝘰𝘸𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘫𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘺 — “𝘶𝘯𝘢𝘱𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘨𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺.” 💪🏽💖