MODULE 1 EXERCISES

Guided Practices

Your Nervous System Story

Reflect on the following:

What patterns have you historically judged yourself for?

Examples may include:

• procrastination
• people pleasing
• emotional reactivity
• overworking

Write a few sentences describing how these patterns show up in your life.

Now consider:

What if these patterns were your nervous system trying to protect you?

How does that perspective change the way you view yourself?

Identifying Your Survival Patterns

Check any responses that resonate with you.

Fight Response

☐ Irritability
☐ Defensiveness
☐ Need to control situations

Flight Response

☐ Overworking
☐ Difficulty resting
☐ Perfectionism

Freeze Response

☐ Procrastination
☐ Feeling stuck
☐ Difficulty making decisions

Fawn Response

☐ People pleasing
☐ Avoiding conflict
☐ Prioritizing others over yourself

Reflection:

Which response feels most familiar?

Nervous System Tracking

Over the next few days, notice moments when your body feels activated.

Write down:

Situation:

Body sensations:

Possible survival response:

What helped you return to calm?

Compassion Reflection

Complete the sentence:

“My nervous system learned to protect me by…”

Now complete this sentence:

“A more compassionate way to view my responses is…”

This week we want you to remember:

Awareness comes before change.

The goal this week is simply to begin recognizing your patterns with curiosity rather than judgment.

Next week you will begin learning practical tools to regulate your nervous system.