Why I Couldn't Write This Post (And What That Taught Me About Regulation)
I've sat down to write about regulation at least five times in the last two weeks.
Every time, I stared at a blank screen. Couldn't find my hook. Couldn't find my intro. Usually once I get that first spark, I'm off to the races and can knock out a post pretty quick (much to the horror of my grammar-perfectionist friends who would love to proofread ahead of time).
But this one? Radio silence.
Here's the kicker: I love talking about regulation. The importance of it. How it's different for everyone. How it's the foundation for literally everything else your brain wants to do. This should've been easy.
Then it hit me last night.
I Skipped Step One
I'm drowning in production timelines for the RWA MicroExperience Cards and Companion Journal. Website building. Networking. Volunteering. All the things. So I made what seemed like a smart decision: offload some daily tasks that weren't "necessary" right now.
Those tasks? My daily photo challenge. My morning journaling practice.
AKA: my regulation.
The journaling started with The Artist's Way—those three pages of morning brain dump. Except I turned it into a marathon. I wasn't just dumping; I was thinking. It took forever. Then the daily photos for Instagram (with halfhearted captions because who has time). Between all that and actual work, I was overwhelmed.
So I cut the things that were helping me not be overwhelmed.
Cool plan, brain.
Now I'm even more swamped, creatively constipated, and apparently can't write a simple blog post because I'm stuck in survival mode.
What Even Is Regulation (And Why Should You Care)?
Here's the thing: if your brain is stuck in "fight, flight, or freeze," you're not ready to do literally anything else.
You're in survival mode. And it doesn't need to be dramatic.
Chaotic morning traffic? Survival mode.
Woke up late and feeling frazzled? Survival mode.
Staring at your laptop for two weeks unable to write? Also survival mode.
Regulation is how you tell your brain: "Hey, we're okay. We can put our attention elsewhere now."
It's disrupting that survival-thinking pattern so you can move on to cooler, more productive things. Like writing blog posts. Or noticing the light hitting that tree outside your window. Or having a conversation without snapping at someone.
It's Not About Meditating Three Times a Day
Look, I'm not about to tell you that you need to sit cross-legged on a cushion humming "om" three times a day.
Everyone has different needs. For some people, traditional meditation might be more stressful than helpful. If you're a ruminator (hi, hello, that's me), you might find yourself revisiting every stupid thing you've said since 4th grade.
I'm not much of a meditator. I prefer taking my camera and contemplating the different patterns and angles of a leaf. Or seeing how many different color spectrums I can find in one square foot of forest floor.
That's meditation for me. It counts.
Finding Your Method(s)
It might take you several tries to find your method. Or you might need multiple methods, because—plot twist—regulation isn't a one-and-done thing.
It's not something you do at the beginning of the day and you're magically good until bedtime. You'll probably discover several triggers that each need a unique approach to ground you and let you move on with your wonderful day.
For example: if traffic triggers your road rage, pulling over for a cup of herbal tea and walking barefoot in the median will get you more problems than solutions in Seattle. (Please don't do this.)
But a cup of herbal tea and walking barefoot on a summer morning before you leave for work? That's a nice start to the day.
The key is experimentation. Keep notes—what triggers you, what worked, what made it worse. Don't discard a method right away just because it feels weird at first. Journaling was completely foreign to me initially. Now I love it. I just need to figure out how to fit it in without it consuming all my time. (Still working on that one.)
Your Turn: Regulation Experiments
Here are some questions to get you started thinking about your own regulation practice:
What physical sensations do you notice in your body when you're feeling overwhelmed or dysregulated? (Tight chest? Clenched jaw? Suddenly starving?)
When you think back to moments when you've felt most centered and calm, what conditions were present? (Time of day? Location? Activity? People?)
How do you currently know when you need to pause and regulate yourself? (Or do you just barrel through until you crash?)
Which regulation strategies have you tried in the past, and what made some more effective than others?
What small experiment could you try this week to test a new regulation approach? (Emphasis on small—we're not overhauling your entire life.)
How might you adapt regulation techniques you've seen others use to fit your own needs and preferences?
How do you want to feel on a daily basis, and what might support that?
What could you do to remind yourself to regulate when you start to feel overwhelmed? (Because we all forget when we need it most.)
The Meta Moment
So here I am, finally writing this post about regulation because I recognized I wasn't regulating. Which is exactly how this works.
Your brain will tell you what it needs—if you're paying attention.
Mine told me by refusing to let me write about the very thing I was neglecting.
What's one regulation method that's been a game-changer for you? Drop it in the comments—I'm genuinely curious, and I guarantee someone reading this needs to hear it.
Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go journal.
