If you're anything like me, January arrives with a rush of "this year I'm gonnas." We see all the bold headlines about radical resolutions, intense detoxes, and promises to transform instantly. While this may work for some, for those of us with a highly sensitive nervous system, that kind of pressure often only leads to immediate burnout and a heavy feeling of failure.
I want to share a simple truth that truly changed everything for me: The most powerful transformation you can experience doesn't come from pushing harder; it comes from pausing gently. This is the path to coming home to yourself. Instead of speeding up, what if we decided to truly slow down and listen to the wisdom your body is offering?
My Winding Path to Gentle Release
I know this is true because I didn't always practice this way. When I first tried breathwork, my nervous system was completely overwhelmed. I felt unwell for the entire day after that first session, and the second and third weren't much better. But in the intensity of those moments with the breath, I could feel how powerful the breath was, and I knew it held the key to what I needed.
I immediately decided to train to teach breathwork. I began my search, and it wasn't long before I knew in my heart that I had found the right mentor and approach, one that was trauma-informed. I loved my training, but after facilitating for a few years, I became curious about more intense styles of practice. I flew across the world to Thailand and spent two months healing and training in various styles of breathwork. Because I practice breathwork in one form or another almost every day, I was able to handle those long, three-hour sessions and even came home loving the intense experience.
I began implementing some of the stronger approaches to breathwork into my guidance, but as the months passed, my heart began to whisper that something was off. I felt frustrated; it was as if the harder I worked, the more blocks appeared along my path. I realized then that the methods bringing others rapid success were actually causing me—and my clients—to retreat.
I'm a bit stubborn, so it took a few months, but I finally realized I had been fighting against my natural flow. The truth hit me: that craving for those intense sessions wasn't actually a call to heal—it was wounded parts wanting to bypass healing and go for the bliss of the intense sessions. My mind was rationalizing this as a path to business success, but in reality, I was pushing myself beyond the limits of my nervous system. I was trying to fit into a mold that demanded constant intensity. I saw then that the majority of my clients were also highly sensitive women. And the truth hit me again: Long, intense sessions are just not the way to create lasting, gentle change for us highly sensitive souls.
I realized it was time to quit fighting and fully accept the unique needs of my sensitivity. It was time to turn what I’d been perceiving as a weakness into my superpower. That simple realization led me to circle around and back to the gentle, trauma-informed approach. It is the only way to build true, lasting safety in the body.
An Invitation for January
This January, give yourself the gift of calm clarity. You don't need a complicated approach to feel grounded and at peace. You only need a safe space to practice coming home to your body. Honor the energy that may have once held you back by deciding to stop running and finally pause and listen to your inner wisdom.
If you are ready for a truly safe space to start this journey of inner stillness and gently discover your inner truth, you have a few ways to connect:
- If you are local to the north San Diego County area, I invite you to join our Free Community Breathwork Class on Thursday mornings at 10:30 am, at Gold Meditation & Wellness in Encinitas, CA. It’s the simplest way to anchor in peace and find the clarity you’ve been seeking. We’ll welcome you right where you are.
(Note: This is a limited-time offering; please check Gold Meditation & Wellness's schedule and sign up in advance to secure your spot Look for Community Breathwork with Lynn.)
- If you are anywhere in the world: Come join our private, supportive online community! This safe space is where highly sensitive women connect, find gentle clarity, and explore my core Trauma-Informed Breathwork Approach and other somatic practices. Click here to join the Free Facebook Group and start connecting.
Thought to Remember this Week: “True transformation doesn't demand force; it simply requires your authentic presence.”
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