Let me ask you a question… Are you a “rusher”?
Does this sound familiar?
You find yourself trying to complete tasks quickly. It could be eating, preparing food, answering emails, cleaning, showering, or getting dressed. Or maybe you frequently run late and often rush to get somewhere on time.
If you’re not sure if you are doing this or not, tune into your speed during the day and see if you do things slowly and calmly or if you notice a sense of underlying urgency that fuels a hurried pace.
Rushing is a common behavioral pattern in limbic system impairment or a sympathetic dominant state. It’s often fueled by the sympathetic state that says, “I have to do this and I have to do it now!” This is often subconscious and you may not realize you’re doing it until you consciously tune in and notice how you move through your day!
The rushing behavior can also be applied to the healing process! This can feel like an urgency to get your Rounds/healing tools done or a desire to get through them so that you can move on with your day. It also feels like an urgency to be healed or further along in the healing journey. It can sound like “I’m just ready to be done with this!” or “How much longer is this going to last?”
Of course, no one wants to spend more time than is necessary in the limbic system rewiring process, but putting pressure or urgency on your healing can actually be counterproductive and slow things down!
The limbic system is a primitive system that is concerned solely with safety and danger. When it senses danger, it will activate a protective state (sympathetic and then dorsal). Rushing communicates to the limbic system that there is danger that you need to rush away from and thus it will continue producing stress neurochemistry to help you escape or fight this danger. When there is no real physical danger though, this activation is reinforcing those maladapted, overprotective pathways that limbic system training is working to rewire.
In short, rushing communicates danger, and messages of danger reinforce the overfiring of protective pathways! When we feel the need or desperation to “rush” out of our current situation, it’s telling our brain that the current situation isn’t safe (again activating the stress response).
What is more helpful is to create a sense of safety around where you are right now in the current moment. This looks like leaning into the acceptance of what is right now. Acceptance does not mean that you are accepting your current state as your forever state but rather sending the message to your limbic system that the discomfort that you are feeling right now is safe, okay, and temporary. That you are healing and on the right path! This sends messages of safety to your limbic system which calms the overfiring and reinforces new healthy neuropathways!
Whether it’s a physical rushing around or a rushing your healing process, I encourage you to bring awareness to this pattern and see if this is showing up in your day-to-day life. If so, can you slow things down a bit and communicate to your limbic system that all is well and the stress response isn’t needed!
Katie is a brain retraining coach who helps women and men access their innate healing wisdom to rewire their brains and thrive in life. Her approach focuses on neuroscience, nervous system education, embodiment, practical strategy, and intuitive insights.
For more information, find her on IG at @katienickersonhealth.
If you're interested in coaching but not sure if it's the right fit, sign up for a free coaching consult here!
She can also be reached at katienickersoncoaching@gmail.com.
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