Proactive Regulation: Long-Term Strategies For A Resilient Nervous System (Back to the Basics Series – Part 7)

anxiety, depression, mental health education, Regulate & Rewire Podcast

Episode 107: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | YouTube
View transcript on Buzzsprout

Does your nervous system feels like it’s always in crisis mode—jumping between overwhelm, anxiety, shutdown, and exhaustion? I lived there for many years too and I’m here to tell you that living that way long-term isn’t sustainable. This is at the heart of Regulated Living and where something I refer to as proactive regulation comes in.

In this episode, Amanda breaks down what it means to create a life that prevents chronic dysregulation instead of just managing symptoms as they come. This is the strategic, root-cause approach to healing that many of our 1:1 coaching clients say they’d never been offered before.

What We Cover in This Episode

  • How proactive regulation differs from in-the-moment reactive tools
  • Why assessing your unique contributors to stress is key
  • What we mean by “regulated living”
  • Well-being standards you can reflect on today

Moving From Survival To Strategy

Last week, Amanda covered reactive regulation: the immediate tools that help in the heat of the moment. But those tools alone aren’t enough. Proactive regulation is about building a nervous system-friendly life from the ground up.

We call this “regulated living.” It means:

  • Assessing and addressing the root causes of dysregulation
  • Making sustainable changes to support your biology
  • Cultivating the internal and external conditions needed for healing

We start by helping clients evaluate what’s actually filling their stress bucket:

  • Sleep quality and routines
  • Nutrition, hydration, movement
  • Sensory load and digital habits
  • Emotional patterns and beliefs
  • Relationships and boundaries
  • Unprocessed trauma
  • Underlying health issues (labs, hormones, nutrient deficiencies)

The goal? Lay all the puzzle pieces on the table. Once they’re visible, we can prioritize what’s most meaningful and accessible to change now. This creates a clear, personalized path forward—and prevents the overwhelm that can come from trying to change everything at once.

From Bucket To Personal Blueprint

If reactive regulation is like poking holes in your stress bucket to release pressure, proactive regulation is like redesigning the whole bucket so it doesn’t fill so fast in the first place.

That could mean:

  • Setting boundaries with draining relationships
  • Addressing perfectionism or people-pleasing
  • Joining a weekly dance class to feel more alive and connected
  • Starting supplements to address real nutritional gaps

Every change reduces your stress load and increases capacity. Over time, that creates more stability, more clarity, and more resilience.

Well-Being Standards To Reflect On

Want to get a sense of where to start? Reflect on these categories:

BODY HEALTH:

  • Are you sleeping ~8 hours most nights and waking rested?
  • Is your diet made up of mostly whole foods? Are you eating a protein-forward breakfast?
  • Are you hydrated with clean, filtered water?
  • Are you moving regularly (7k–10k steps, 30-minute workouts a few days a week)?
  • Are chronic health issues well-managed?

CONNECTION & COMMUNITY:

  • Do you feel seen, supported, and like you belong?
  • Can you ask for help when you need it?
  • Do you have purpose or meaningful contribution in your life?

ENVIRONMENTS:

  • Is your home organized vs. cluttered?
  • Are sensory inputs (light, sound, scent) manageable?
  • Are you reducing exposure to endocrine-disrupting fragrances?
  • Do you spend time outside daily?
  • Is your digital environment supportive?

MINDSET & EMOTIONAL RESILIENCE:

  • Do you trust yourself to follow through?
  • Can you process emotions and return to regulation?
  • Is your self-talk mostly supportive?
  • Are you living in the present or stuck in protective patterns?

DAILY LIFE STRESSORS:

  • Is your day-to-day life sustainable?
  • Is there space for rest, play, or creativity?
  • Does everything fall on you, or do you feel resourced?

If your answer to many of these is “no” — your symptoms liekly make sense. And your healing starts by choosing one thing to shift.

This Is What Structured, Personalized Support Looks Like

Many of our clients say: “I’ve been in therapy for years, but there was no plan. I never knew where it was going” or “Therapy helped me understand why I was struggling, but not what to do to actually get better.”

What makes our approach feel different is the structure. When we map your stress contributors and support you in building out regulated living step-by-step, it gives you tangible action to take that creates capacity and momentum in your health and healing.

This is what we do in RESTORE. If you resonate with this series but haven’t been able to apply it consistently in your life, 1:1 coaching might be the right next step.

Three Tangible Takeaways

  1.  Proactive regulation is about root causes, not symptom chasing. It’s the long game of building a sustainable, regulation-supportive life.
  2. The most effective healing path is personal. Your next step depends on what’s in your bucket and what feels doable now.
  3. Consistency beats overhaul. Small, well-supported changes (especially with guidance) create the biggest long-term impact.

Looking for more personalized support?

*Want me to talk about something specific on the podcast? Let me know HERE.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or qualified mental health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.

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