The Day I Told Guilt to Take a Seat
And in the space it left, two very unexpected things walked right in.
Have you ever caught yourself mid-thought…and felt your whole day change?
That happened to me this week, twice, within a few hours.
And here’s the surprise—neither moment was extraordinary on the surface. One was a letter from the power company. The other was a random conversation outside while I waited for groceries.
But both moments had the same root cause. And both ended with something landing in my lap that I would’ve sworn, even that morning, wasn’t possible.
The first one was the AEP letter telling me I use 115% more electricity than my neighbors.
Now, back in the time before I started regulating my nervous system, that would’ve sent me straight into shame and guilt. I’d have shut down for the day.
Immediate shame. (“You bad girl.”)
Guilt. (“I should be more careful. I’m so wasteful.”)
Spiraling thoughts about my budget, my choices, my worth.
And just like that—poof—my creativity for the day would be gone. No writing. No painting. No joy.
But this time, I caught it midstream, breathed through it, and shifted my perspective. I reminded myself: I work and live from home. I’m not like the people who leave all day and turn their thermostat down to 74. I keep my home comfortable because I’m here, living my life in it. That’s not wrong—it’s reality.
So I pivoted. I shifted my thoughts from “I’ve done something bad” to “I’ve built a life where I get to be home, creating, in comfort.”
Minutes later, my daughter texted from Costco offering to send me 3 months’ worth of household supplies.
The second one started with a passing thought: I need someone to build me a wall of slat boards for my big canvases.
I pictured it once and let it go.
Hours later, a young man walked out of the art store near where I was awaiting my grocery delivery. We struck up a conversation. He’d been planning to make a vision board, but I shared why nervous system work beats vision boards every time. By the end, he’d taken my number—and BONUS! He knows how to build the exact wall I need.
Women over 60—we’ve been trained to react to life as if every challenge is a personal failing or a puzzle we have to solve immediately. That robs us of energy, creativity, and joy.
The problem is, when your nervous system is stuck in “fight or flight,” your brain actually shuts down access to the prefrontal cortex—the part responsible for clear thinking, problem-solving, and creativity. That means you’re literally less able to make good choices in the moment.
Regulating your nervous system flips that switch back on. It tells your body you’re safe, which reopens the flow to your best thinking, your creativity, and your ability to respond instead of react.
Regulating your nervous system isn’t about hours of meditation. It’s about building the capacity to catch those old reflexes in real time—so you can leave the door open for good things to walk right in.
That’s how you reinvent yourself.
That’s how you reignite your creativity.
That’s how you reclaim your dreams.
One caught reflex at a time.
If all you ever got from regulating your nervous system was more peace, it would still be worth it. But the truth is, peace is just the starting point. Once you’re out of constant reactivity, you get your clarity back. You get your courage back. You finally have the space to make those small but powerful changes that reignite your passions, help you reinvent yourself, and bring your dreams within reach.
That’s exactly why I think you may want to take advantage of my Reinvention Reset bundle. Two manuals:
The Daily Breathing Ritual PDF to learn how to reset your nervous sytem
The REFOUNDATION Guide a step-by-step process to take stock of your life, uncover what still lights you up, and design a future that holds the woman you are now.
You deserve more than just getting through the day—you deserve to live it, fully.
Zoom Chat This Sunday – For my paid subscribers, we’re gathering this Sunday at 7 p.m. for a live Zoom conversation. Only 10 seats are available, and it’s first come, first serve. Check your email for the login details—I’d love to see your face and hear your voice in real time.
WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING:
“You're amazing - I’m starting my day with you in my heart . Thank you for sharing your help with not just me but others on here as well . You're beautiful”.- Anonymous member
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