I’m continuing our series on how to build a more regulated nervous system. We've already explored Stage One: Awareness — learning to notice when your nervous system is calm, when stress is creeping in, and when you’ve tipped into that more activated state of anxiety or overwhelm.

In this week's episode episode, I’m guiding you through Stage Two: Regulation & How to Come Back To Calm — the practical ways you can bring your nervous system back to calm once you notice it’s been activated. Because stress, pressure and emotional ups and downs are part of being human. The real skill isn’t avoiding stress altogether, but learning how to guide yourself back to a steadier, calmer state.

I’ll walk you through several simple body-based “portals” that help your nervous system shift from stress back into safety — tools you can begin using straight away in everyday life.

In this episode I share:

• Why we often can’t think our way out of stress — and why the body needs to feel safe first
• How the brain and body communicate through the nervous system, including the 80/20 body-to-brain signal pathway
• Five simple “portals” into nervous system regulation
• How your everyday breathing habits influence your nervous system throughout the day
• Why developing body awareness helps you notice stress earlier and respond before overwhelm builds

To find out more about how your breathing may be affecting your nervous system, download for FREE The Breath Check up.

If you’d like some guidance with the breathing techniques I mention in this episode, you can explore my Rapid Calm Toolkit or Breathe Better Basics, where I guide you through simple practices to help you calm and regulate your nervous system whenever you need to.

Download 15 Breaths to Calm Anxiety - a FREE 5 minute audio to calm you down in real time.

Download The Breath Check-Up - your FREE guide to understanding how well you're breathing right now.

Download my energising 5 Minute Morning Practice to get your day started in the best way possible.

To find out more about my membership The Inner Space go to: https://www.pollywarren.com/theinnerspace

Email me at: info@pollywarren.com
https://www.pollywarren.com/
https://www.instagram.com/pollywarrencoaching/

On this week's Thursday Thoughts, Lucy and I are talking about how the amount of good things in your life depends on your ability to notice them.

With so much fear and negativity in the news right now, it’s easy for your attention to be pulled towards what feels heavy and overwhelming. That’s why being intentional about where you place your focus matters more than ever.

This conversation is a gentle reminder that you can train your brain to look for more of what’s uplifting and good. It’s not about ignoring reality — it’s about strengthening your capacity to see the positive alongside it.

We hope you find something that resonates in here.

Love,
Polly & Lucy xx

Download 15 Breaths to Calm Anxiety - a FREE 5 minute audio to calm you down in real time.

Download The Breath Check-Up - your FREE guide to understanding how well you're breathing right now.

Download my energising 5 Minute Morning Practice to get your day started in the best way possible.

To find out more about my membership The Inner Space go to: https://www.pollywarren.com/theinnerspace

Email me at: info@pollywarren.com
https://www.pollywarren.com/
https://www.instagram.com/pollywarrencoaching/

In this episode of Take a Breath, I’m joined by Wendy Heine — certified Wim Hof instructor, breathwork coach and yoga teacher.

Wendy shares her journey from avoiding the cold completely to embracing it as a powerful tool for healing, particularly following her cancer diagnosis in 2021.

We explore both the science and the nervous system side of cold exposure — what’s actually happening in the body, why it can lift mood and energy so quickly, and how breathwork completely changes your experience of stepping into discomfort.

This isn’t about bravado. It’s not about forcing yourself into freezing water. It’s about intention, regulation, and building resilience in a calm, grounded way.

Inside this conversation, we explore:

• Why cold water can lift mood, sharpen focus and boost energy
• How long is long enough to trigger the key physiological benefits
• What “cold enough” really means (and why it doesn’t need to be extreme)
• How to use your breath to stay calm and in control
• Why cold exposure is a form of positive stress that can strengthen both body and mind when approached safely

If you’ve been curious about cold showers or sea dips but feel hesitant, this episode will help you understand how to approach it in a way that feels empowering rather than overwhelming.

It’s about learning to stay steady — even when things feel uncomfortable — and taking that steadiness back into everyday life.

To connect with Wendy, go to: https://www.instagram.com/longevitylifestylecoach/

Download 15 Breaths to Calm Anxiety - a FREE 5 minute audio to calm you down in real time.

Download The Breath Check-Up - your FREE guide to understanding how well you're breathing right now.

Download my energising 5 Minute Morning Practice to get your day started in the best way possible.

To find out more about my membership The Inner Space go to: https://www.pollywarren.com/theinnerspace

Email me at: info@pollywarren.com
https://www.pollywarren.com/
https://www.instagram.com/pollywarrencoaching/