Thrive mode has been activated and we are ready to get our zen on 🧘 

We talked last week in the Camelot Newsletter Special Edition: The Vagus Nerve - Your Internal Superpower about your inner “survive” and “thrive” switch. We know how the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems work and now we are ready to talk about the how of achieving thrive mode!

 
Just breathe - we are all doing it

If you happen to be a normal human being living on planet earth, you have probably at some point experienced one or all of the following; overwhelming stress, an uncontrolled emotional reaction, ruminating thoughts, wanted to lose weight, had high blood pressure, couldn’t focus during the day or had trouble falling asleep at night. Well congratulations, you’re like the rest of us here living in human bodies having a human experience!

The good news is - you have more control over these issues than you might think, and the solution is as natural as breathing—yes, literally breathing. Before you dismiss this with an eye roll, expecting a costly celebrity-endorsed remedy like ozempic or a 10 day silent retreat in the Himalayas, let me clarify: managing these challenges can be super simple and the cheat code is free.

Don’t hyperventilate, meditate

The American Heart Association reports that meditation can improve well-being and quality of life. Recent studies have offered promising results about the impact of meditation on reducing blood pressure; a major precursor to heart disease and many other chronic conditions. There is also evidence that it can help people manage insomnia, depression and anxiety. Some research suggests that meditation physically changes the brain and helps:

Increase ability to process information
Slow the cognitive effects of aging
Reduce inflammation
Support the immune system
Control the brain’s response to pain
Improve sleep

More research is currently underway, but it’s clear that meditation’s effects on the body and brain are significant - and darn close to actual superpowers if you ask me!

What it is, what it isn’t

What exactly is meditation? Meditation involves practices like breathing exercises, guided contemplations, or focusing intently on an object, phrase, or sound to reach a state of mental clarity and emotional calmness.

It doesn’t have to take hours or require any fancy or structured process. Starting is as simple as sitting quietly and concentrating on your breath. When distractions arise—and they will—acknowledge them without judgment and gently return your focus to your breath. It’s called a practice not a perfect.

Excuses may arise and I myself have said them ALL. “My brain just won’t turn off, meditation won’t work for me.” “I don’t have time.” “I have tried it and just couldn’t concentrate.”

The excuses are your inner survival mode kicking in because centering yourself – switching from sympathetic (survival/reactive mode) to parasympathetic (thrive/relax mode) is an unfamiliar state. With practice the fear brain begins to quiet down. When that fearful survival brain is uncomfortable, it says “no, no, no we can’t do that, let’s stay in the safety zone. Our comfort zone is chaos and stress. We understand stress.” But my friends, I am here to tell you; it’s okay to step into a new state of being. It’s okay to learn new things. It’s okay to be a little uncomfortable for a moment if it is leading you to a long term enhanced state of being. Let’s flip that fear switch off and turn up the zen!

Let’s explore

There are all kinds of ways to meditate and finding the way or ways you click with is half the fun! You can walk and meditate, you can sit on a pillow, lay down, say a mantra, move your body with Tai-Chi or Yoga. Yes, these are all ways to meditate! You thought the only way to meditate was to sit on a pillow atop an ancient mountain and force yourself to levitate didn’t you?

For those interested in exploring different meditation styles, consider apps like Calm and Headspace. Personally, I love the Calm app. I have been using it for years now. There are short daily meditations, walking meditations, music and other great little ways to get your vibe in alignment.

For more specialized approaches:

• Transcendental Meditation uses mantras to transcend regular thought processes. For those who prefer a more traditional, structured approach.

• Movement or Somatic Meditation, which includes yoga and Tai-Chi, integrates gentle movements with deep breathing for mental clarity.

Walking meditations can be hugely impactful. And who doesn’t love the two birds approach; check “workout” and “wellness” off of your self-care to-do list for the day. You can find music or verbally guided meditations on Spotify, Pandora and likely any other music service you subscribe to.

Here are a few to get you started:

Even if you're incredibly busy, short sessions like a 60-second seated breathwork can be significantly beneficial. So, whether you have a minute or an hour, there's a meditation practice that can fit into your life and potentially transform it. We will talk breath work techniques next week. 😉 

Have a very thrivey Friday

🪷