From Stuck to Self-Assured: Why Healing is the Key to Moving Forward
We’ve all had those moments. You’re staring at your laptop, trying to focus but your brain feels foggy. Your to-do list is endless, but your energy’s drained. You keep asking yourself, “Why can’t I just get on with it like everyone else?”
What if the answer isn’t another productivity hack but healing?
For many women, especially mums, the feeling of being “stuck” isn’t laziness or lack of drive. It’s the body holding onto years of unprocessed stress, burnout, or trauma often things we didn’t even realise were affecting us.
Maybe it started after the birth that didn’t go to plan. Or the overwhelming demands of motherhood layered on top of a high-pressure career. Or perhaps it’s the quiet loss of identity we experience when life becomes all about caring for others and less about ourselves.
When we push through, the result can be disconnection. We disconnect from our bodies. From our intuition. From joy. From clarity.
But there’s another way. And it starts with understanding your nervous system.
Your Nervous System Isn’t Broken — It’s Trying to Protect You
The nervous system is like a finely tuned alarm system. When we go through stress, it switches into fight, flight or freeze to protect us. That’s useful in a crisis. But when that state becomes our default setting, it takes a toll on our energy, focus, and emotional wellbeing.
You might find yourself snapping more easily, withdrawing or feeling completely unmotivated, no matter how many career goals you set or planners you buy.
That’s not failure. It’s dysregulation.
The good news? It’s also fixable.
Through techniques like breathwork, grounding exercises, and gentle somatic (body-based) practices, you can begin to calm your nervous system. Not just for relaxation but so you can actually hear your own thoughts again. So you can trust your instincts. So you can move forward with clarity and confidence.
Healing Is Practical and Powerful
Healing is about creating space to listen to your body. It’s about releasing the emotional and physical tension you’ve been holding, often without even realising it.
That sense of being “stuck”? It begins to shift.
And in its place comes something else: self-trust.
Clarity about what you want. Confidence to say no. Energy to go after what’s next.
Gentle ways to support your nervous system and move through trauma:
Body before brain.
Start with how you feel, not what you think. Your body holds the stories your mind can’t always explain. Grounding exercises like deep belly breathing, placing your feet flat on the floor, or using your senses (sight, sound, smell) to anchor yourself in the present can be powerful starting points.
Regulate before you reflect.
Trying to process trauma while in a dysregulated state can feel overwhelming. Instead, find small ways to calm your nervous system first. Think: walking in nature, warm baths, stretching, or even lying on the floor for a few minutes of stillness.
Name it without shame.
Whether it’s grief, burnout or trauma giving language to what you’re going through helps release its grip. Journalling or speaking to a therapist, coach, or safe friend can help untangle what’s really going on beneath the surface.
Create pockets of safety.
You don’t need a week-long retreat, small moments count. A five-minute ritual with your morning coffee, saying no without guilt, or protecting quiet time before bed can start to rebuild trust with yourself.
Learn to listen inwards.
We’re so used to outsourcing the answers, from diet plans to career paths. But learning to hear your own internal “yes” and “no” is a game-changer. With practice, this builds self-trust and decision-making clarity.
You’re not meant to do it alone.
Whether it’s coaching, somatic therapy, or simply hearing other women say “me too”, healing happens in connection. That’s why platforms like Mums on Cloud Nine exist, to help you feel seen, supported, and strong again.
Listen now to the full podcast here.
For more information visit https://www.adele-marie.co.uk/about-adele-marie
