Hi *|FNAME|*,
One of the key and foundational factors to experiencing emotional freedom is physical sobriety.
I said it before and I'll say it again...
Caffeine, alcohol, and other foods, drinks, and substances actually have the power to activate the nervous system's stress response without ever having a stressor present in the first place.
To some this may seem obvious, and to others not so much.
I was one of those people that didn't make the connection right away.
I grew up just below the Mason-Dixon line in Maryland where we had sweet tea with almost every meal and between meals too. I was drinking caffeine galore and I whole-heartedly believed that caffeine didn't affect me at all.
'I can sleep just fine when I have caffeine,' I would declare to those declining that second cup of coffee because they wouldn't be able to sleep that night.
But, alas, a therapist I was seeing a few years back put her foot down and strongly recommended I make a change. She seemed to think it was affecting me way more than I was willing to admit.
So, following her lead, I decided I'd try out giving up caffeine to see what would happen (and, you know, to prove her wrong).
Now, for context, up until this point, I'd had constant terrorizing nightmares.
This was the main symptom of the PTSD I had developed as a result of the trauma I experienced in the past.
I gave up caffeine just to prove my therapist wrong and, well, as much as I hated to admit it at the time...she was right.
Reduced caffeine = Reduced nightmares and a significant reduction in anxiety.
No caffeine and my relationship with stress and anxiety was starting to look a whole lot better.
This is the power of the first step of The Stress Less Method. We manage our nervous system by becoming, not only emotionally sober, but physically sober. This is what creates the strong foundation we need to do the continued deep work of the program - identifying our blocks, creating a plan, removing our blocks one by one and, finally, embracing grace.
Want to transform your relationships with stress too?
Click here to apply for a complimentary discovery call with me to learn more about how you can do this too.
Always in your corner,
Carlee