12/23/2025
For a long time, my nervous system only knew how to brace.
To stay alert.
To anticipate the next hit, the next problem, the next thing to survive.
So when sobriety brought stillness,
it didn’t feel peaceful right away —
it felt unfamiliar.
Not because something was wrong…
but because my body was finally standing down from years of protection mode.
This is something we don’t talk about enough:
when you’ve lived in chaos, peace can feel uncomfortable at first.
Not boring.
Not empty.
Just new.
But over time, that unfamiliar quiet becomes grounding.
It becomes stabilizing.
It becomes the place you return to — even when the world around you is loud.
If peace feels strange right now,
nothing is wrong with you.
You’re not losing momentum.
You’re not becoming dull.
You’re learning safety.
You’re remembering sovereignty.
You’re coming home to your body.
With Love & Support,
Laurel 🤍