The Tone of Your Nervous System is the Tone of Your Life

Our nervous system is like the conductor of an orchestra, setting the pace and tone for our lives; the workablity of our responses and the ease of our psychological flexibility.

Fast and slow, our nervous system, the brain and its pathways to the body, navigate between automatic, instinctive reactions and deliberate, dissected thoughtful responses.

Understanding this interplay is crucial as uninspected stories and beliefs can subtly take control of our decisions, our bodies, and ultimately, our potential. It often happens just as life rolls on, BUT we can train and pivot on this!

The Gator and the Judge: Fast and Slow Thinking

Kahneman’s "Thinking, Fast and Slow" concept introduces us to two systems of thought: 

• System 1: Thinking is fast, automatic, and often subconscious

• System 2:Thinking is slow, deliberate, and conscious. 

Zoe Chance simplifies this with the metaphor of the ‘gator and the judge’, with System 1 the ‘gater’ and System 2 ‘the judge’. The gator is our instinctual, reactive brain, kin to gut instinct while the judge is our rational, reflective mind. 

In the realm of our nervous system, these two systems are constantly at play. The gator is quick to react to perceived threats, setting off the fight-or-flight response which is a primal and necessary function for survival. However, in our modern world, this gator can become overactive, reacting to stressors that don’t pose an immediate threat to our survival, like a looming deadline or a challenging conversation, a sense of urgency. This overactivity can set the tone for a life filled with distressful stress and tension.

Stories and Beliefs: The Unseen Puppeteers

Our stories and beliefs – especially those uninspected – wield tremendous power over our nervous system's tone. These are often formed in our early years and solidify through repeated experiences. For instance, if you grew up believing that you’re not good enough, this belief can trigger your ‘gator, causing you to react defensively or avoid opportunities that could lead to growth. 

Unexamined beliefs and stories can limit our potential through a cascade of physiological triggers starting in our hippocampus, and ending up in adrenaline and cortisol in our body — a threat is detected! This is how self-doubt can stifle our abilities, leading us to underperform and miss out on development opportunities. This concept aligns with the idea that our nervous system – influenced by these underlying beliefs – sets the tone for our reactions and decisions.

The Impact on Our Bodies

When our nervous system is consistently in a state of high alert, our bodies bear the brunt. Chronic stress can lead to a multitude of health issues, including hypertension, digestive problems, and weakened immune function. Constantly responding to perceived threats, our nervous system keeps us in a state of readiness that is exhausting and unsustainable.

This is where the impact of inspecting and reshaping our stories and beliefs becomes evident. By bringing our subconscious narratives into the light, we can begin to reprogram our nervous system. Taming intuitive predictions doesn’t happen overnight. It requires deliberate effort and a willingness to engage with uncomfortable truths about ourselves. It is a practice for those with determination and a readiness to have something different.

Creating a New Tone

So, how can we shift the tone of our nervous system and, consequently, our lives? Here are a few steps to get started:

1. Self-Awareness and Reflection: Begin by identifying the stories and beliefs that drive your automatic reactions. Journaling can be a powerful tool for this. Write down situations where you felt strong emotional responses and try to trace them back to the underlying beliefs.

2. Mindfulness and Breathwork: We can train our nervous system with mindfulness, meditation exercises and breathwork, training it to be stressed and calm but consciously! This creates a shift in the accessibility of thoughts governed by the ‘gator, giving the judge a chance to weigh in. These practices teach us to observe our thoughts and feelings without immediate reaction, creating space for more deliberate responses.

3. Cognitive Restructuring: Challenge and reframe unworkable beliefs. For example, if you believe that you're not good enough, reframe the inner thought with kindness of your reality checker. Then commit to the idea, without having to believe it, with curiosity and courage of what will change.

4. Building Resilience: Engage in activities that build your resilience. These are your counter to distress (which is eustress), such as physical exercise, cold exposure, heat exposure, or connecting with people that challenge your status quo in a productive way.lay and creativity through unlocking the constraints of strict expectations or fear of failure are also great resilience builders. Intense exercise in particular, reduces the cortisol response in subsequent emotional stressors following that bout of exercise!

5. Seeking Professional Help: Sometimes, unearthing and reshaping deep-seated beliefs requires the help of a professional. Therapy or coaching can provide the structured support needed to make significant changes.

The tone of your nervous system truly is the tone of your life. By understanding and working with the interplay between our instinctual and rational minds  and by actively inspecting and reshaping our stories and beliefs – we can set a new tone that supports our wellbeing, enhances our performance, and unlocks our potential.

Recognising and addressing these hidden potentials allows us to move beyond self-imposed limitations and create a life that is not only successful but also deeply fulfilling.