Week 17: Your Nervous System Isn’t Broken — It’s Just Doing Its Job.
- Glen Jensen
- May 6
- 3 min read
When the Bark Isn’t Bad
Ever wonder why your chest tightens when an email pings?
Why your face flushes after an argument?
Or why exhaustion floods in after the hard moment passes?
That’s not failure.That’s your body saying,"I’ve got you. I’m doing my best."
(See also: Week 0 — your body is not a mystery to solve. It’s a language to learn.)
TL;DR Quick Take: What This Week Is Really About
Your nervous system isn’t broken.
It’s doing exactly what it was designed to do — protect you.
This week, we learn how to stop fighting our emotional signals and start guiding them with clarity, compassion, and calm.
The Day My Chest Boiled
When I took my first Portuguese lessons, my chest would boil.
Literally. Heat surging up into my face.
I was embarrassed. Ashamed that I couldn’t speak.
And even more ashamed that I cared so much.
I told myself: Calm down. It’s just a language class.
But my body wasn’t buying it.
Even when I got boots on the ground in Brazil, the same thing happened.
I wasn’t “overreacting.
”I just couldn’t control it — no matter how much I wanted to.
(See also: Week 3 — awareness is not control, it’s the beginning of skillful response.)
Why Logic Isn’t Enough
Your brain isn’t a single command center.
It’s a network of (at least) 17 distinct regions —each processing different types of information, and not always sharing the right data at the right time.
Even the wisest version of you can’t out-logic that wiring.
Inside Out, the Pixar film, captured this perfectly:Joy, Fear, Anger, Disgust, and Sadness all crowding around the console —each one convinced they should be driving.
Most days, Fear slams the panic button too soon.
Joy gets distracted.
And sometimes, Anger just wants the wheel.
That doesn’t mean the system is broken.
It means it’s working exactly as designed.Just… not always gracefully.
(See also: Week 5 — momentum addiction is often your nervous system mistaking urgency for safety.)
A Three-Step Truce
Your new ritual:
Name it.
"My chest is tight. That’s fear."
Thank it.
"Thanks for trying to keep me safe."
Guide it.
Walk. Hum. Splash cold water.
Not to fix the feeling — but to steward it.
Your body doesn’t need domination.
It needs direction.
(See also: Week 9 — small signals are invitations, not interruptions.)
The Golden Retriever at the Console
Your nervous system is a golden retriever.
Loyal. Protective. Sometimes a little too eager.
When it barks, it’s not malfunctioning.
It’s trying to help.
A good human doesn’t yell at the bark.They clip on a leash and go for a walk.
(See also: Week 15 — somatic signals are loyal, even when they seem irrational.)
Guide, Don’t Override.
The Messengers We Misunderstand
"Your emotions aren’t mistakes. They’re messengers.
Sometimes early. Sometimes loud. Always loyal."
Or, as Inside Out reminded us:"Every emotion belongs. Even the misguided ones."
(See also: Week 16 — stillness is not failure. It’s fieldwork.)
If You Want to Go Deeper
The Polyvagal Theory in Therapy — Deb Dana (your nervous system decoder ring)
My Grandmother’s Hands — Resmaa Menakem (trauma’s imprint on the body)
Nervous Energy — Chloe Carmichael (for “high-functioning” anxious minds)
Your Body Is Keeping Watch
You don’t have to master your nervous system.
You just have to stop being mad at it for doing its job.
Every blink. Every clench. Every flutter says,"Hey. I’m still here."
That’s not weakness.That’s your body keeping watch.
(See also: Week 13 — self-trust grows when you honor the signals, not suppress them.)
Coming Next Week
You’re Not Lazy — You’re Underfed, Overwhelmed, and Missing the Right Cue.
We’ll zoom out from reactivity to capacity.Your lack of motivation isn’t a moral flaw — it’s a missing signal.
(If you’ve just joined us, revisit Week Zero to ground yourself in the Field Guide’s philosophy.)
Comments