In this episode, I'm breaking down the song "Dear Anxiety" by Blu Eyes—and why it might be the most accurate description of anxiety and nervous system regulation I've ever heard set to music.

We explore why anxiety isn't a disorder or a malfunction but a protective response, what it actually looks like to be in relationship with your anxiety instead of at war with it, and how this one song captures the entire arc of regulation work—from somatic awareness to sending signals of safety to letting emotions move through.

This is a song that hits you in the feels while providing such deep validation.

Hit play for the full song here:

• Spotify: "Dear Anxiety" by Blu Eyes
• Youtube: "Dear Anxiety" by Blu Eyes

—

Looking for more personalized support?

• Book a FREE discovery call for RESTORE, our 1:1 anxiety & depression coaching program (HSA/FSA eligible & includes comprehensive bloodwork)
• Join me inside Regulated Living, a mental health membership and nervous system healing space (sliding scale pricing available)
• Order my book, Healing Through the Vagus Nerve today!

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

Website: https://www.regulatedliving.com/podcast

Email: amanda@regulatedliving.com

Instagram: @amandaontherise

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@amandaontherise

Do you ever finish a conversation and realize you’ve just given a twenty-minute dissertation to justify a simple "no" or a basic need? In this episode, we’re peeling back the layers on chronic over-explaining. It turns out, this isn't just a quirky personality trait—it’s a sophisticated nervous system response. Whether you’re trying to preemptively defend yourself against being "the bad guy" or you learned early on that your needs weren't valid unless you built a legal case for them, this episode offers a roadmap to reclaiming your voice.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• The "Origin Story" of Over-Explaining: Why we learn to justify our needs to get them met and how misattunement in childhood creates a blueprint for hyper-communication.
• Over-Explaining as a Survival Tool: The science of how your amygdala flags "emotional risk" and tries to negotiate safety through a flood of information.
• The High Cost of Justification: How over-explaining leads to emotional exhaustion, self-abandonment, and the weakening of your own self-trust.
• The "One-Sentence Rule": A practical challenge to state your truth clearly and then—the hardest part—stop talking.
• Embracing the Pause: Why silence feels like danger to a dysregulated nervous system and how to tolerate the "awkwardness" of letting your words land.

3 Takeaways:

1. Over-explaining is a nervous system response, not a personality flaw. If you had to prove your feelings were valid in the past, your brain adapted by explaining itself into safety. You’re not "too much"; you’re practicing a survival skill that you no longer need.
2. The cost of over-explaining is self-abandonment. When you lead with a defense, you’re inadvertently saying your needs aren't legitimate on their own. Trusting your truth means realizing your "no" doesn't require a dissertation.
3. Practice the "One-Sentence Rule" and embrace the pause. Challenge yourself to say what you need in one clear sentence, then stop. Let the silence be there. People who truly see you don't need an essay to respect your boundaries.

—

Looking for more personalized support?

• Book a FREE discovery call for RESTORE, our 1:1 anxiety & depression coaching program (HSA/FSA eligible & includes comprehensive bloodwork)
• Join me inside Regulated Living, a mental health membership and nervous system healing space (sliding scale pricing available)
• Order my book, Healing Through the Vagus Nerve today!

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

Website: https://www.regulatedliving.com/podcast

Email: amanda@regulatedliving.com

Instagram: @amandaontherise

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@amandaontherise

When you witness suffering at scale, your capacity to care can feel like it’s running on empty. In this episode, we’re diving into the biological reality of compassion fatigue and the potent "antidote" found in moral elevation. We discuss why "looking for the helpers" isn’t just a sweet sentiment—it’s a vital nervous system intervention that activates the vagus nerve and restores our ability to hope. This conversation is an invitation to honor your personal capacity, embrace complexity, and find your own sustainable way to show up.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• What compassion fatigue actually is
• The "Compassion Budget"
• The science of Moral Elevation: How witnessing acts of goodness triggers the vagus nerve to slow your heart rate, reduce inflammation, and release oxytocin.
• Dialectical Thinking: The "both/and" logic that allows you to acknowledge horrifying truths without losing sight of community resilience.
• Matching Capacity to Advocacy: Why "offering the shovel" is sometimes exactly enough, and how to match your current resources to the causes you care about.

3 Takeaways:

1. Compassion fatigue is real—and so is your capacity limit. Not every cause can be your cause. Ask yourself: What do I have to give right now? And where do I want to give it? Be honest about your capacity and kind to yourself about your limitations. Sometimes offering the shovel is enough.
2. Looking for the helpers activates moral elevation—a biological antidote to compassion fatigue.
3. Practice dialectical thinking: both/and, not either/or. Horrifying things are happening AND people are showing up for each other. You can witness harm AND witness helpers.

Resources mentioned:

• Book: Healing Through the Vagus Nerve by Amanda Armstrong

—

Looking for more personalized support?

• Book a FREE discovery call for RESTORE, our 1:1 anxiety & depression coaching program (HSA/FSA eligible & includes comprehensive bloodwork)
• Join me inside Regulated Living, a mental health membership and nervous system healing space (sliding scale pricing available)

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

Website: https://www.regulatedliving.com/podcast

Email: amanda@regulatedliving.com

Instagram: @amandaontherise

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@amandaontherise