How to Stop Rushing and Regulate Your Nervous System so You Can Heal

Jannika is a Functional Nutrition Counselor specializing in gut health and chronic digestive issues like bloating, constipation, IBS, SIBO, and IBD. Through personalized, holistic care and functional lab testing, she helps women take control of their health and overcome debilitating symptoms once and for all.

If you’re struggling to keep up in a fast-paced world, the solution isn’t to run faster. It’s to slow down. I know…that feels counterintuitive. It goes against everything we’ve been conditioned to believe. Hustle harder, do more, keep pushing. But I’m here to tell you that not only is slowing down worth it, it’s necessary. And if you’re dealing with chronic symptoms, I’ll take it a step further: it’s non-negotiable.

Lately, I’ve been catching myself rushing through my days like I’m on some kind of invisible timer. I’ve had to take a step back and ask myself: why? Why am I moving so fast? What am I chasing? What external (or internal) force is making me speed through every task, project and chore like I’m competing in a high-stakes, life-or-death Squid Game challenge?

So, I started journaling to see if I could get to the root of it. And wow. A lot came up. What I thought was this deep, internal drive to get ahead was actually an external pressure. A pressure I had absorbed from social media, especially Instagram, where every other post whispers (or sometimes shouts): Do more. Be more. Achieve more.

It’s a cycle I’ve been trapped in for longer than I’d like to admit: 

→ The compulsive urge to check social media.
→ The immediate flood of overwhelm…everyone else seems to be doing so much more.
→ My nervous system kicks into overdrive.
→ I spiral into the feeling that I’m behind, that I’m not doing enough.
→ So, I move faster and push harder to catch up.
→ My cortisol spikes. Inflammation rises.
→ And, inevitably, my body responds with symptoms, exhaustion, and pain.

In an age of constant bombardment, everywhere we look, we’re told to optimize and improve. To take action so we can be more, make more, look better, feel better. And honestly? It’s exhausting. This pressure isn’t just mental, it’s physiological. It’s a full-body response, one I feel deep in my nervous system.

For me, all this pressure sits right in the center of my chest. It’s a heavy, constricting sensation that almost makes it feel like I can’t take a full breath. From a spiritual perspective, this sensation is located between my belly button and sternum, home to the solar plexus chakra, one of the body’s seven energetic centers. It’s known as the center of personal power, where confidence, motivation, and aligned action originate. It’s the space that “embodies your unlimited potential to transform thought into action.”

Well, isn’t that ironic? The very place in my body designed to fuel aligned action and personal power has, instead, been hijacked by an insidious sense of urgency. The irony is almost laughable: the pressure I feel to constantly do more is sitting in the very center of me that, when nurtured, allows me to take intentional action from a place of ease rather than force. 

And here’s where it gets even more interesting. The solar plexus isn’t just linked to confidence and identity. It’s also deeply connected to digestion. My body’s ability to process and release. Which means this sense of urgency I’ve been carrying isn’t just weighing on my mind, it’s quite literally affecting my body’s ability to function.

I started to notice something strange: the faster I moved through life and the more I pushed, rushed, and strained, the more stuck I felt. In an effort to get to the next thing, the next project, the next goal, the next level — I was feeling more and more stagnant. My digestion was suffering, and I was experiencing symptoms of constipation, bloating, and discomfort. My body was mirroring my state of mind. In my effort to escape feeling stuck, I had actually trapped myself in it.

And that’s exactly why slowing down isn’t just a luxury, it’s a reclamation. When your nervous system is hijacked by urgency, when your body is stuck in go mode, when your mind is already racing to the next thing before you’ve even finished the first, you disconnect from yourself. You move through life on autopilot, reacting instead of responding, pushing instead of pausing. 

Real healing happens in the slow moments. It happens when you take a breath before you act, when you choose presence over productivity, when you learn to regulate your nervous system instead of letting external pressure run the show. Because if your body is constantly stuck in fight or flight, how can it ever feel safe enough to heal? 

Slowing down isn’t just about moving at a different speed, it’s about learning how to be with yourself in a new way. And that’s where self-regulation comes in. Self-regulation is the ability to recognize and manage your thoughts, emotions, and physiological responses in a way that keeps your nervous system balanced. It’s the practice of shifting yourself out of stress, overwhelm, or reactivity and into a state of calm, presence, and safety, so you’re not just at the mercy of external pressures, but actively choosing how you respond.

In the context of healing, self-regulation means learning how to slow down, soothe your nervous system, and create an internal environment where your body feels safe enough to rest, digest, and repair. It’s not about suppressing emotions or forcing yourself to relax. I’s about developing the awareness and tools to support yourself through life’s stressors in a way that feels grounded, intentional, and sustainable.

So, how do you begin?

Healing starts with awareness. The more you notice when you’re rushing, the more power you have to shift your energy in real-time. Instead of trying to do more to fix the problem, let’s explore how to be with yourself in those moments of rushing, overwhelm, fear, and flare-ups.

Anytime you catch yourself speeding through a task, physically moving quickly, or feeling the need to 'push' through something, stop and ask: Am I doing this from the energy of love or fear?

Fear sounds like: "I have to hurry or I’ll fall behind."

Love sounds like: "I’m choosing to move at a steady, intentional pace because I trust I have time."

1. Identify the Fear Driving the Urgency

When you feel the need to rush, pause and ask: Where is this fear coming from?

• A fear of being left behind?

• A fear of not reaching your goals fast enough?

• A fear of disappointing yourself or others?

• A fear that if you slow down, you’ll lose momentum or miss an opportunity?

💡 Why? Getting clear on the root fear helps you separate perceived pressure from actual urgency. Most of the time, the rush isn’t real. It’s just a learned response.

2. Interrupt the Pattern

The next time you notice yourself rushing—whether you’re speeding through a task, eating quickly, or even walking fast—pause. Notice what’s happening in your body. Ask yourself:

• What am I feeling right now?

• What’s driving this sense of urgency?

• Is this truly urgent or am I just stuck in a habit of moving fast?

Instead of letting momentum pull you forward, actively slow down:

→ Walk 50% slower for one minute.

→ Take one deep breath before moving to the next task.

→ Consciously release the tension in your shoulders and jaw.

→ Say to yourself: There is no emergency. I have time. I am safe.

💡 Why? Rushing isn’t just about productivity—it’s a nervous system response to feeling behind. But urgency is rarely real. The more you practice slowing down on purpose, the more your body learns that it’s safe to move at its own pace.

3. Call in a Protective Mentor or Energy

Imagine a mentor, protector, or grounding presence—someone who represents wisdom, safety, and guidance. This could be:

• A real-life mentor or coach.

• A loved one who supports you unconditionally.

• A spiritual figure or inner guide.

• A future version of yourself who has already healed.

When negativity, comparison, or pressure creeps in, visualize this figure stepping in, placing a protective hand on your shoulder, and reminding you: "You are safe. You are on your path. You do not need to rush."

💡 Why? This taps into secure attachment and reminds your nervous system that you are supported, even when external pressures try to shake you.

4. Use Self-Talk to Soothe Your Inner Child

When comparison, urgency, or self-doubt hit, speak to yourself the way you would speak to a scared child:

"I know how scary it is to feel like you’re not doing enough. But just because someone else is doing XYZ, that doesn’t mean you’re behind. We are capable. We are doing enough. I’m sorry that the world makes you feel this way. I know it feels lonely, I know it feels scary. But I’m right here by your side. What would you like to do?"

💡 Why? So much of the pressure we feel comes from old programming—a younger version of us who learned that self-worth is tied to achievement. Speaking to yourself with gentleness helps rewire that belief and create a new sense of internal safety.

My hope for you is that you return to your own rhythm, the one that was always yours before the world told you to rush. This requires a shift from external noise to internal wisdom, from urgency to trust. Because when you slow down, breathe, and let yourself be present, you can finally move from a place of power rather than pressure. And that, I’ve come to realize, is key to healing — the kind that doesn’t just relieve symptoms but rewires the way you exist in the world.