why safety comes before change - PART 1

Reminder: You don’t have to move fast to move forward

Introduction

This time of year carries its own kind of pressure.

The holidays ask us to show up — to give, to connect, to hold space for others — while the end of the year whispers that we should be doing more, finishing strong, setting new goals, or reinventing ourselves by January 1st.

It’s a lot.

And while part of you might crave momentum or fresh starts, another part might feel resistance, fatigue, or even guilt for not doing enough. That tug-of-war isn’t a character flaw — it’s a nervous system signal.

Your body doesn’t move at the same pace as cultural expectations.
It moves at the pace of safety.

Before sustainable change can happen — before new habits, resolutions, or routines can take root — your system needs to feel regulated enough to handle them. Without that sense of internal safety, “trying harder” just triggers more overwhelm.

This week, instead of pushing through, you can begin by listening.
By asking not “What should I be doing?” but “What does my body need to feel safe right now?”

Section 1: The Nervous System’s Reality Check

We talk about motivation as if it’s purely mental — a matter of discipline or mindset. But your nervous system plays the lead role in whether change feels possible or threatening.

When you’re under chronic stress — emotional, social, or even the low-grade tension of “too much to do” — your body interprets that as danger. It redirects energy toward survival, not creativity or planning. You might notice:

• difficulty focusing,

• procrastination that feels heavy,

• or bursts of energy followed by a complete shutdown.

That’s not you being inconsistent. That’s your physiology conserving resources.

The end of the year often amplifies this. Between holiday expectations, financial pressures, and the constant invitation to “reflect and reset,” our systems can quietly move into fight-flight-freeze patterns.

Before change can stick, your body needs evidence that it’s safe — safe to rest, safe to fail, safe to move at your own pace. Next week, we’ll explore the concept of Safety Before Strategy and why it’s crucial to prioritize safety first.

Next week, I’ll be sharing something new to help you build that sense of safety — one small step at a time.

For a free guide to help you learn more about your body’s regulation cues, check out my free Somatic Body Mapping Worksheet.