Do you ever ask yourself "Am I doing enough?"

The world seems to be continually getting worse.  You could definitely say that environmentally, politically, and socially we are facing great (often existential) challenges that sometimes make the things we do day to day seem meaningless.  It is easy to feel helpless, especially in a world that seems like all the most evil people are the ones who are winning. (Or maybe you're not feeling like this, in which case, please tell me how you do it?)

I’ve spent a lot of time reflecting on whether or not, and if so, why, the work I do is meaningful.  Every time I do, I come back to a book I read a few years ago, Zen and the Art of Saving the Planet, by Thich Nhat Hanh.  His basic teaching in this book is that the best way to create change in the world is to start by creating change within yourself.  Essentially, create a sense of peace, presence, and acceptance towards all different parts of yourself to such an extent that the energy which you create through this transformation is impossible for others to ignore.  By creating lasting inner peace, your efforts then ripple outward because your energy becomes so infectious that others are then influenced to also turn inward.  This ripple effect is what creates the most lasting change.

We often, however, are misled by our own woundings which present as different triggers.  Triggers are basically emotional affects that cause us to see the world in a specific way that confirms the belief created when the original wounding occurred.  This belief was the intelligent way our bodies and nervous systems kept us safe, but which no longer serve us.  This is how trauma leaves its mark on our psyche.  Unfortunately, unless you seek out the help of a guide, coach, therapist, or many self help books, you might never be aware of this perspective in the first place.  It just feels normal, like the way things have always been and felt.

With the right guidance, we can create the capacity to heal our wounds and create lasting peace within.  This is why I believe in the power of somatics and why I continue to share the work that I do.  Our way forward is through coming back to the wisdom of our bodies and feeling into the places where these memories are stored.  Stored trauma in the body typically manifests as chronic muscle tightness, constant anxiety, feeling numb or disconnected from life, issues with anger, and many other forms.  Not to make any of you feel bad, but we ALL have stored emotions in our bodies.  We don’t have to have experienced something like the acute trauma of a car accident, or abuse, or some other major event in life that most people think of when they hear the word “trauma”.  Chronic mis-attunement from our caregivers to our emotional needs can also lead to stored trauma in the body.  It’s almost impossible that when we were children, our parents or primary caregivers were able to properly attune to our emotional needs.  And so it is hypothesized that our behaviors, emotions, and relationship patterns act in an unconscious way to fulfil these unmet needs.

This can be a helpful reframe when trying to understand the evil in the world.  Everyone is just trying to get their needs met in the best way they know how.  Unfortunately, it is usually not in the most compassionate way, and those with power trying to get their needs met can also have the consequence of creating immense suffering in others.  But there is still hope! We can act, but we must act skillfully. We cannot fight fire with fire. We can't respond to other's triggers through acting on our triggers ourselves. It only will add fuel to the flame. We cannot fight hate with more hate. We can only fight hate with love.  In order to spread more love and compassion in the world, we must start with ourselves.  

Acting from a place of deep compassion and love can be challenging when we are operating in survival mode. It is nearly impossible. Acting from a place of love requires us to be grounded in safety. It requires us to heal our own wounds that keep us stuck and acting from a place of survival.

In my opinion, deepest form of self-love is to create the space to allow the hidden parts of yourself to come to light, and then to accept and integrate them. It is to learn to love all parts of yourself. This is work that requires bravery! But we all can create that bravery through the empowerment that comes with establishing yourself as your deepest well of support and safety. Through creating the deepest trust within yourself that you are unshakeable. This takes practice, but is so worth it. Living and acting from a place of deep nervous system safety, love and compassion will most definitely ripple out into all the things you do in your life. Somatic work is an effective and super gentle way to begin doing this and is why I believe so deeply in it that I decided to undergo a masters program as well as various other educational trainings related to trauma healing.

So yeah, when I start to spiral and wonder if I am doing enough, I have to remind myself that I am. These two truths are what I always come back to:  1. We must first change ourselves to change the world, and 2. Deep and lasting change happens at a nervous system and body level. Working in healing spaces, like my women's groups, with my one-on-one somatic clients, in my yoga classes, and even in my training sessions at the gym with clients, allows me to continue to address these 2 truths.

I deeply believe it is my life path to continue to offer spaces for people to feel empowered in their bodies, to create safety in their nervous systems, and ultimately begin to shift their energy towards feeling better and being who they desire to be in the world. I had to start with myself too! I am constantly working with therapists, somatic coaches, and reading self-help books myself to continue growing and showing up with integrity as my best self in all my relationships. I intend continue to do my own inner healing for my whole life because, as we know, life is dynamic and the work is ongoing. I believe that it is imperative to walk the path yourself if you plan on guiding others.

If you feel the call to do deeper inner work or just need more guidance towards feeling happier and healthier, please reach out. I currently have the space for a few more one-on-one virtual somatic clients. I have another round of my women's group, "Return to the Body" coming up starting 10/29/26, and am deeply grateful to be leading my first solo women's retreat this February in Joshua Tree, CA (2/4-2/7 2027). Feel free to check out the "Retreat" section on my website.

If you read this far, I love you! and feel free to hit "reply" (or send me a message if you're reading this as a blog post later) and let me know how you are doing.

With love,

Michelle