Creative Self Care With Crystal McLain
Join wellness facilitator, Crystal McLain, as she explores creative ways to care for the mind, body and mother-lovin' soul, so we can live healthy, empowered and fulfilling lives, individually and collectively.
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Creative Self Care With Crystal McLain
Creating Peace, Power and Resilience in the Face of Fear and Uncertainty
Unlock the secrets to mastering your mind's safety switches and harnessing your inner resilience. Join me, Crystal McLain, as we uncover how our brains and bodies react when we perceive threats, often tricking us into stress spirals even when danger is nowhere in sight. Together, we'll explore the unseen power of the amygdala and prefrontal cortex in shaping our responses, and discover why acknowledging our feelings is more than just therapy talk – it’s a path to holistic wellness. By steering away from the pitfalls of overconsumption, we'll reframe self-care to truly honor our bodies’ needs and build a life brimming with peace and personal power.
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Life is full of ups and downs, but sometimes the downs can really rattle us, making it almost impossible to enjoy or manage much in life. Sometimes there's something so catastrophic that it completely disrupts the nervous system and leaves you stuck in a place of panic, dread or hopelessness. My friend, if this is how you are feeling, I'm so glad you found yourself here. With this post Today, we're taking a little look at what happens to the brain and the body when it's feeling unsafe, and then we're going to learn some things to help us create peace, power and resilience in our lives. If you're a Patreon member, then you know you get bonus content with every post that I make, ranging from journal prompts and digital downloads and tutorials, you name it. But with this post, I'm offering free access to the bonus content because collectively offering free access to the bonus content? Because collectively, we need you and every one of us to be present, confident and able to constructively collaborate with one another, if even on a very small scale. My name is Crystal McLean. This is Creative Self-Care, and together we're exploring new ways towards wellness so we can effectively care for the mind, body and mother-loving soul and live healthy, empowered lives, individually and collectively, if you appreciate what I'm doing here at CMC, want to support my work and gain a more personal experience. Consider joining my friends at Patreon, for the same price as a cup of coffee, to learn more about our community and how we're making a positive impact. Consider joining my friends at Patreon, for the same price as a cup of coffee, to learn more about our community and how we're making a positive impact. You can visit crystalmcleancreativecom. All right, let's get to it.
Speaker 1:So the first thing I want to talk about is how the brain and body work together at maintaining something called homeostasis. Homeostasis is the ultimate goal. It's when your internal environment, meaning the inner workings of your meat machine, is balanced and healthy. Your nervous system, along with 10 other systems throughout your body, are always working to achieve homeostasis. This is why your body shivers when it's cold or your stomach growls when you're hungry. Your brain and body are always giving you signals so you can appropriately manage your circumstances. Sometimes the brain and body are able to take charge of the situation automatically on their own, like, if you're hot, your body will try to regulate your temperature by sweating, but sometimes the signals are for you to take conscious action, like dehydration. You might feel thirsty or tired or have a headache. You might experience muscle cramps, low blood pressure or dry skin. These are signals that you need to drink water. Your body can't just make water. You are responsible for meeting that need.
Speaker 1:Now, when your brain believes that you are not safe, it's going to put you into fight, flight or freeze mode. This is called the sympathetic response, and I'll get into a few details in a minute, but first I want you to really pay attention to what I'm about to tell you. Your brain can and will initiate the sympathetic response even if you're not in current physical danger. You could be minding your own business, sitting safely in your own home and still feel threatened. I cannot tell you how many times in my life I have been told that I was overreacting. And if you've ever felt unsafe or have had anxiety in your life and someone tells you that you are overreacting or that it's no big deal, or that you're quote fine, or that everything will be quote okay, then you know how extra disruptive that is to your nervous system. Those words can do such great damage and leave you feeling like there's no safe place to express yourself. Or you learn to detach from or numb your feelings in unhealthy ways or you learn to mistrust or misunderstand your emotions. I am telling you your feelings are not only valid, but they're valuable information that will help you to better understand what you truly need. All right back to the sympathetic response.
Speaker 1:When you go into the fight, flight or freeze response, your body is automatically preparing you to deal with the scary situation. You might need to fight, you might need to run, you might need to hide, so your blood pressure and respiratory rate are going to elevate, your digestive and reproductive systems are going to slow down and your body is going to be pumped full of cortisol and adrenaline. But again, you might actually be safe in your own home with some food in the fridge and a dog on your lap. This can be kind of confusing to the brain. Right Like, literally in this present moment, you're probably technically okay, but your nervous system might be saying fuck, we are. So what's happening here?
Speaker 1:Well, in a nutshell, there's conflicting information which overwhelms the brain, and the longer or more often we go without facing our feelings and circumstances with facts, science and our inner truth, and just allow our lizard, reactionary brain to have full control of the situation, the more likely we are to live in a constant state of stress. When we're living with chronic stress, the reactionary, emotional part of the brain called the amygdala is the driving force behind our choices, and when the amygdala is fired up, it's much, much harder to access the rational, critically thinking, good decision-making part of the brain, which is the prefrontal cortex. When your brain is scrambled up in fear and confusion, all it wants to do is protect you, so it may cleverly convince you to access things that aren't actually making you feel safe, but rather distract or suppress those unwanted emotions. This could look like overconsumption of just about anything, including alcohol, drugs, spending, gaming, gambling, food and media. These things can give us a false sense of safety and security because they increase our feel-good hormones like dopamine, serotonin and oxytocin. And while it is critical that we do access these hormones, it's important that we do so in ways that empower us and support our health, wellness and satisfaction. It is critical to your peace and to your power that you practice self-care that gets the prefrontal cortex on board, regulates your nervous system productively manages your stress and elevates all of those good hormones. All right, these are some things that we can do to create our peace, power and resilience.
Speaker 1:Number one seek out safe spaces. The first thing I would advise anyone if they felt their safety was being compromised is to reach out to an organization that will take immediate action in helping them to access safety. There are hotlines all over the country that people can call that will help them receive necessary support and services. Second, if you have mental or emotional health concerns, accessing group or individual therapy provided by a mental health professional will give you a safe place to explore and process complicated and overwhelming emotions. Be sure to do a little research about your healthcare provider to make sure that your values align. You want to make sure that their services are going to meet your needs. Third, there are support groups that address specific issues that are often led by mentors or people with personal or professional experiences similar to yours. You can often find these groups through social media, medical professionals, advocacy agencies and community or spiritual leaders. Fourth, you could reach out to friends and loved ones who you feel seen, heard and respected by, and who will have your back when you are at your most vulnerable. And the fifth thing you could try is to look to your community for like-minded people who are organizing around similar issues and interests that are important to you, expanding your social circle and building connections with uplifting people will help you feel more secure in the world.
Speaker 1:Number two mindfulness. I know we're all probably a little tired of hearing about mindfulness and wondering how the fuck meditation is going to make your fears go away. I'm here to tell you that mindfulness and meditation are not going to make your problems disappear. That's not the point. What mindfulness does is train your brain to be strong and focused enough to be able to interrupt the sympathetic response, so you can access the tools that will allow you to be in control of your thoughts and actions. When the scared lizard brain takes the wheel, we have a tendency to make rash, reactionary choices that do not serve us well. That includes spiraling into toxic narratives, buying into fear-based beliefs and reaching for all those things that numb and distract us. All of those things are going to escalate your feelings of insecurity and hopelessness. That is not what you need. Practicing mindfulness strengthens the prefrontal cortex so you can think more rationally and make decisions that better serve you and your nervous system. Mindfulness is an important skill for building confidence, control and resilience.
Speaker 1:Number three find the truth. Fear can be a liar. That's not to say that you don't have legitimate things to be afraid of or to worry about, but fear can spin lies, making us feel small, limited and powerless. But you are much stronger than you may give yourself credit for. Behind your fear is a person capable of being present and showing up for the things that matter. Because of neuroplasticity, which is the brain and body's natural ability to adapt and learn new things, you are able to create new habits and a lifestyle that empowers you, and that is a fact. That is science, and there's something quite grounding and encouraging about knowing this truth. Fear is a reaction, but bravery is a choice, and you, my friend, a reaction, but bravery is a choice. And you, my friend, are capable of being brave. That's a fact.
Speaker 1:Number four process emotions. Emotions are how the body responds to stimuli. That means the brain is reacting to sensory input it gathers from our eyes, ears, nose, mouth, skin and our gut. But because a lot of our feelings are uncomfortable, we don't want to feel them, so we ignore them. Sadly, when we ignore our feelings, they don't actually go away. In fact, they usually just get worse or more confusing or end up causing bigger problems. The solution is taking the time to process them. Identifying, accepting and expressing your emotions will help move them along. It will also improve your emotional intelligence and build confidence and resilience.
Speaker 1:Number five set boundaries. Boundaries are the limits and rules that people set for themselves to define how they want to be treated and what they're comfortable with. These can be physical, emotional or mental boundaries, and they apply to all types of relationships, even the relationship we have with ourself. And though they may feel scary to establish at first, boundaries in the long run can help you feel more confident because they show that you value yourself and your rights. You deserve to feel safe and respected, and it is up to you to determine what that means.
Speaker 1:Number six get physical. Because our emotions are physical things, it's extremely helpful to use the body as a tool for processing them. There are actual chemical and electrical reactions that ramp us up, slow us down or keep us shaky and frozen, and, depending on where our energy and chemistry are at, we can create balance in the body by engaging in different types of physical activity. Cardio-centered exercises can help burn off excess energy or help boost it if you're low, whereas slower, more restorative movements can help settle restlessness. And all physical activity is going to lower cortisol and increase endorphins. And lastly, number seven create something.
Speaker 1:There is something so empowering and affirming when we create something. It says I am here and I am capable, and I don't care if it's a shitty poem or a painting or a soup or a pillow fort. Bringing something into existence is fucking incredible. Being creative can be a form of safe self-expression. It requires you to tap into your critical thinking and problem-solving skills. It can provide a sense of purpose and fulfillment, can reduce depression and anxiety and it can inspire all sorts of other magic in your life. All right, my friend, remember it's okay to not be okay sometimes.
Speaker 1:Emotions are a natural reaction to this whole messy human experience. But the more comfortable we become navigating our emotions and the more we prioritize the safety and well-being of ourselves and our nervous system, the more empowered and resilient you'll become. You deserve to stand strong in your peace and your power and to have hope in your heart, and I hope that today's tips will help you find that. If any of these steps sound interesting or helpful to you, you can find further resources to help get you started. At Patreon, again, today's bonus content is absolutely free, even if you're not a member, if you appreciate this content, would like to support my work and it's within your means. You can become a member for the same price as a cup of coffee. I love you, I appreciate you and I believe in you. Let's do this.