Self-Care for Your Nervous System: State Specific Practices for Activating Your Success Blueprint

We often hear about self-care as luxurious rituals like taking a warm salt bath, sipping tea, or indulging in a good book. But if you’ve ever been in a full nervous system meltdown—whether it’s feeling hyper-alert or completely shut down—you know that these classic self-care practices don’t always work.

That’s because true self-care needs to be tailored to your nervous system’s current state. Your body’s needs will differ depending on whether you’re in fight, flight, freeze, or fawn mode. 

Let’s break down what self-care looks like for each of these states, so you can support yourself in a way that actually helps:

Flight Mode: The Urge to Escape

What It Signals:

When you’re in flight mode, your nervous system is alarmed by a perceived danger, triggering a need to run or escape. You might feel restless, anxious, or hyperactive, as if something terrible is about to happen. Your body is looking for a way out because it doesn’t feel safe in the present moment.

The Call for Safety:

Flight mode is your body’s way of saying, “I need to get out of here; it’s not safe.” Even if there isn’t an actual physical threat, your nervous system has been hijacked, and it needs reassurance.

How to Create Safety:

•   Grounding Techniques: Root your body to the earth. Feel the solid ground beneath you to remind your nervous system that you’re here, and you’re safe.
•   Breathwork for Calm: Slow, rhythmic breathing can signal to your body that it’s okay to relax. Practice breathing deeply and slowly to help reassure your nervous system.
•   Soothing Sensory Input: Engage in sensory practices that bring you back to safety, like wrapping yourself in a blanket or holding something familiar (a favorite crystal, ritual items/talismans, sentimental objects.

Your body is craving stability and grounding. The key is to reassure your system that it’s safe to be still.

Fight Mode: The Drive to Defend

What It Signals:

In fight mode, your nervous system senses a threat and gears up for battle. You might feel angry, irritable, or ready to lash out. Your body believes that the best way to create safety is through defense, using energy and adrenaline to protect yourself.

The Call for Safety:

Fight mode is your body’s way of saying, “I need to defend myself; it’s not safe.” The flood of energy is an attempt to push danger away, but it needs a safe outlet.

How to Create Safety:

•   Physical Release: Channel the energy through physical expression. Your body wants to fight, so give it a way to release without harm, like punching a pillow or doing a vigorous workout.
•   Dynamic Opposition: Channel fight mode energy with exercises that create balanced push-pull forces, like resistance band work,  gentle partner pushes, or pressing against a wall. This taps into your body’s natural power, releasing tension while keeping you feeling strong and grounded.
•   Expressive Outlets: activities like martial arts-inspired movements, expressive dance, or even aggressive art-making (like splattering paint on a canvas). This allows your body to release the built-up energy in a way that feels powerful yet intentional, turning your fight response into a force for creativity and self-expression.

Here, your body wants to be reassured that it doesn’t need to fight anymore. Movement and expression can help your nervous system stand down.

Freeze Mode: The Shutdown Response

What It Signals:

Freeze mode occurs when your nervous system is overwhelmed, and escaping or fighting feels impossible. It’s a full-body shutdown, leaving you feeling stuck, numb, or paralyzed. Your body believes that the only way to be safe is to become invisible.

The Call for Safety:

Freeze mode is your body’s way of saying, “I feel too overwhelmed; it’s not safe to move.” Your system is trying to protect you by shutting down to conserve energy and avoid further stress.

How to Create Safety:

•   Small Movements: Gentle, rhythmic movements like rocking or stretching can slowly invite your body to re-engage. Start small, and be patient.
•   Warmth and Comfort: Your body may feel numb and disconnected. Wrapping up in warmth, like a cozy blanket, can signal safety and comfort.
•   Grounding Exercises: Use sensory grounding techniques, like placing your hands on your heart and belly, to reconnect with your body. Add essential oils to awaken your senses and bring you into your body.

Freeze mode needs a nurturing, gentle approach. Your body is asking for permission to slowly return to a state of safety and presence. 

Fawn Mode: The Need to Please

What It Signals:

Fawn mode kicks in when your nervous system senses that appeasing others is the only way to avoid conflict or danger. You might feel the urge to people-please, say yes to things you don’t want to do, or prioritize others’ needs over your own. It’s a survival response designed to create harmony and avoid perceived threats.

The Call for Safety:

Fawn mode is your body’s way of saying, “If I keep everyone happy, I’ll be safe.” It’s rooted in a deep need for approval and connection to feel secure.

How to Create Safety:

•   Boundary Work: Start by practicing small acts of boundary-setting, like saying no to something minor. This reminds your nervous system that you can honor your needs and still be safe.
•   Reconnect with Your Needs: Take time to reflect on what you need and want, separate from others’ expectations. Journaling or quiet time alone can help.
•   Affirm Your Worth: Use affirmations to remind yourself that your worth isn’t tied to how well you accommodate others. Say things like, “My needs matter, and it’s safe to honor them.”

Fawn mode requires you to cultivate a sense of internal safety by prioritizing your needs and creating healthy boundaries.

Your nervous system is wired for safety

Every nervous system response is your body’s alarm system, a survival mechanism designed to protect you not sabotage you. By understanding these states and responding with intentional self-care, you can begin to feel more regulated, empowered, and safe. Keep in mind, self-care isn’t just about feeling good, it’s about reminding your body that it’s safe, held, and supported as you reach new levels of success. 

Your body is always communicating with you. The more you listen and respond, the more deeply you’ll understand your needs and create a space for true healing.

Ready to break free from survival patterns and activate your success blueprint? 

I offer a range of ways to help you alchemize fear into power and step into your sovereign success:

1️⃣ 1:1 Somatic Alchemy
A customized 90-day transformation to break free from survival mode and embody your sacred work with confidence. We’ll work somatically to help you feel safe, grounded, and powerful, expanding your nervous system’s ability to hold success.
Activate your success blueprint.

 2️⃣ Sacred Business Mentorship
For spiritual entrepreneurs ready to blend sacred wisdom with practical strategies. We’ll work together to expand your nervous system’s capacity to hold success, align your energy with your vision, and create a soul-aligned business that feels both sustainable and fulfilling.
1:1 Mentorship is your path to sovereign success.

3️⃣ Awaken the Creator Within (In-Person Breathwork)
Bi-weekly in Sedona, AZ. Step into your highest potential through a powerful breathwork practice designed to awaken the creator within.
Reserve your space for this in person experience.

About Leandra Rose

Leandra Rose is a Purpose Doula and Mentor for spiritual entrepreneurs.

Through her transformative programs, you’ll break free from old paradigms and patterns that have been holding you back—so you can step into your soul’s true mission, aligned prosperity, and authentic self-expression. Leandra’s guidance helps you connect deeply with your intuition, embody your spiritual gifts, and create the impactful, abundant life you were meant to live. Your power to manifest your highest vision lies in your divine purpose. It’s time to let it shine.

 

Client Testimonials

“I would say to anyone thinking about working with Leandra—absolutely do it! She’s a powerful transformer, patient, insightful, and incredibly knowledgeable. She helps you uncover and change limiting beliefs, empowering you to make meaningful changes.”

—Sarah F., Transformational Coach, Scottsdale, Arizona

"My business has taken off and that delights me every day. And everything that I wanted has shown up for me in such a short amount of time.  I help communities develop better recycling programs, which feels very connected to my soul. I feel like I'm carrying out my life's work right now, which I'm super grateful for. And I feel just so good with where I'm at and the life I've created and everything that is coming along with that."

—Natalia Lessa, Founder of ReCREATE Waste Collaborative, California