The Power of Slowing Down: Why Shedding, Not Adding, Heals the Nervous System
- Pammy Gaskin
- 1 day ago
- 3 min read
We live in a culture obsessed with doing — with fixing, improving, optimising. Even healing, somehow, becomes another item on the to-do list. Another podcast to listen to. Another app to download. Another technique to master.
But what if healing doesn’t come from doing more —What if it comes from doing less?
What if the nervous system doesn’t need more stimulation, but less noise? Not another productivity hack — but space. Stillness. A softening.
Slowing down is the medicine.
We often think of healing the nervous system in terms of what we need to add:
Breath-work,
Meditation,
Cold plunges,
Nervous system tools.
And yes — those practices are powerful. They have their place. But beneath them, there is something even more essential:
A willingness to pause.
A decision to slow down — not just externally, but internally.
A return to presence that doesn’t demand performance.
Because here’s the quiet truth: You can be doing all the “right” practices and still be stuck in a nervous system loop of hypervigilance, urgency, or self-pressure.
Why? Because the state you’re in when you do the practice matters just as much — if not more — than the practice itself.
You can do breath-work while still holding your breath emotionally. You can meditate while silently berating yourself for not doing it “right.” You can stretch your body while staying completely disconnected from it.
This is where the power of shedding comes in.
Shedding is not giving up. Shedding is coming home.
So many of us are carrying layers of survival mode:
The “I have to keep going” energy.
The “If I slow down, everything will fall apart” fear.
The “Rest is lazy” conditioning.
But the nervous system doesn’t reset through hustle. It resets through safety.
And safety begins in the moments we allow ourselves to:
Put something down.
Let go of perfection.
Pause before reacting.
Sit in stillness — not as a punishment, but as a gift.
These moments might seem small, but they are radical in a world that pushes constant productivity.
The Nervous System Needs Space to Breathe
When we give ourselves permission to do less, we often discover:
The emotions we’ve been running from start to soften.
The mental loops begin to quiet.
The body starts to release tension it’s held for years.
And here’s the beauty: The pause isn’t empty. It’s alive. It’s rich. It’s restorative.
It’s the space where your system says: “I don’t have to brace anymore.” “I don’t have to hold it all together.” “I can just be.”
Try This Gentle Reminder
Next time you feel overwhelmed or “not doing enough,” try asking:
What can I shed right now, gently?
What feels heavy that I can lay down, even for a moment?
What would happen if I let this breath be enough?
Because real nervous system healing isn’t just about what you do —It’s about how you relate to yourself in the moments in between.
The softness you bring. The space you allow. The pressure you release.
That’s what creates regulation. That’s what creates healing.
A New Kind of Ritual
If you’re longing for a different way — one rooted in presence, softness, and ease — this is your invitation to slow down with intention.
I’ve created a Rest Ritual Workbook + Meditation as a companion on this path. It’s not about “fixing” yourself — it’s about remembering who you are beneath the pressure.
Because the truth is: You don’t always need to do more to heal. Sometimes, you just need to feel safe enough to finally stop running.
And when you do? The nervous system exhales. The body remembers. And you begin — gently, powerfully — to come home to yourself.
Special offer Currently only £5.55 until 30th June. Just add both to cart for discount to apply.
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