Hi friends,

To be honest, I'm feeling a whole slew of emotions.
This weekend has been a lot. Between the ice storm and freeze, I did very little, yet somehow didn’t get any rest. I tapped into the news cycle early Saturday morning and haven’t really been able to look away since. It’s surreal, reminiscent of the pandemic — that feeling of things being unsettled and happening in real time.

It’s been strange trying to focus on work while everything feels unresolved. Feeling isolated, wondering what my role is, and how to show up for my community. Tbh, it's exhausting.

But earlier today I was reminded of something simple but grounding: feeling your feelings is part of what makes you human. Processing your emotions is beautiful. Not numbing. Not bypassing. Letting sadness be present without getting swept away by it. Acknowledging what’s there, allowing it to move through you, and trusting it won't stay stuck forever.

Why this matters:​
When we suppress or avoid emotions, the nervous system stays activated — keeping the body in a low-grade stress response. Research shows that that naming and feelings emotions — through breath, movement, journaling, or simple awareness — helps the body regulate and return to baseline. Emotions are physiological experiences. When they're allowed to complete their cycle, they resolve.

This moment is revealing how much unprocessed stress people are carrying, and how that can explode into violence. In times like these, clarity becomes an act of care — and a quiet resistance to fear and chaos. Not numbing ourselves into distraction, but staying present. Doing the things we’re called to do. Checking on neighbors. Finding small, tangible ways to support one another. Regulation, like panic, is contagious — what we bring into our interactions matters.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed, you’re having a very human response to a heavy moment. You don’t have to carry it alone.

Please reach out if there are ways I can support you.

xo,
Christen

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