If you’ve ever felt like you’re constantly on edge—snapping at people, running on fumes, and trying to “push through”—you’re not broken. You’re just stuck in survival mode.

In this episode of The Happy Stack Podcast, I dive deep into how your nervous system drives your reactions, your emotions, and even your ambition.

I’ll unpack why calm feels so uncomfortable for high performers, how chronic stress rewires your brain, and what it really takes to move from reactivity to peace.

This is not about slowing down your life—it’s about regulating your energy so you can finally feel safe in your own calm.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode: 

Most people aren’t living their life—they’re reacting to it

Constant stress keeps your brain trapped in fight-or-flight mode

Calm can feel foreign when your nervous system has normalized chaos

Awareness is the first step to shifting from reaction to response

Five simple steps to rewire for calm:

Notice physical cues—tight chest, shallow breath, racing heart

Pause and self-reassure: “I’m safe. I’m good.”

Rebuild your baseline—teach your body that stillness is safe

Create micro-pauses throughout your day to reset your nervous system

Redefine productivity—rest fuels better ideas and clarity

Links and Resources:

Follow Terri-Ann Richards: https://terriannrichards.com/

The Happy Stack Newsletter: https://happystack.substack.com/

Success Takes Courage Book: https://a.co/d/dgOqpbj

If this episode hit home, share it with someone who’s been living in fight-or-flight without realizing it.

Subscribe, leave a review, and try one nervous system reset today—because the real measure of growth isn’t how much you can juggle, it’s how grounded you can stay while juggling it.