Your Body’s Still Waiting for a Signal

I read the book Burnout by Emily and Amelia Nagoski (highly recommend, by the way), and one concept changed the way I think about stress:

Completing the stress cycle.

→ Here’s the science:

Your body is great at responding to stressors. It kicks your nervous system into high gear so you can finish the project, send the email, or handle your boss’s frustration.

Yet what most of us don’t do is complete the cycle.

We never give our bodies the signal that says:
“We’re safe. The danger’s passed.”

Without that signal, your nervous system stays activated. Stress hormones keep circulating.

And over time, that leads to chronic stress, burnout, and health issues—even if the stressor is gone.

Let’s Experiment

This month, try one simple thing:
Break the stress cycle—on purpose, most days.

Choose one action most days that tells your body: You’re safe now.

Most effective: Move your body for 20–60 minutes (walk, run, dance, swim—anything that gets your heart rate up and your breathing deeper)

Other powerful options:

• Tense and release: Contract all your muscles for 20 seconds, then shake it out with a deep exhale
• Breathwork: Slow, deep breathing (box breathing, 4-7-8, etc.)
• Positive social interaction: Genuine connection, conversation, laughter
• Affection with a loving presence: 20-second warm hug, 6-second kiss, petting an animal
• A good cry: Letting the emotion move through you, even via a tear-jerking movie
• Creative expression: Painting, music, writing, storytelling
• Spiritual connection: Meditation, prayer, awe in nature

Whatever you choose, the key is this: Feel the shift.
The release. The drop. The exhale. That’s your body completing the cycle.

Want to challenge yourself? 
Post what you’re committing to in the comments to help you stay accountable.

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With love and gratitude,
Jenn