Why do we overdo, shut down, procrastinate, people-please, and get stuck in the same loops? Take a listen…
Hey y’all. Welcome to More Lovin, the podcast that brings more laughter, light, and love into everyday life. I’m your host LeAnn Austin, and together we’ll rediscover the beauty of connection to your body, your mind, your spirit, and the people you love.
Today’s episode #235: What’s Really Slowing You Down?
Hey y’all, welcome back to More Lovin. I am so glad you’re here. We are continuing our series, Your Calm, Strong Climb ~ a 5-part journey all about understanding your nervous system so you can feel calmer, stronger, and more supported in your everyday life.
So far, we’ve started at Base Camp, where we explored why you feel the way you do and how your nervous system shapes so much of your daily experience.
Then, in Catch Your Breath, we talked about how to pause before the spiral, how small, simple tools can help you regulate before the stress takes over.
And today, we’re taking the next step on the climb, episode #235: What’s Really Slowing You Down?
Because once you start understanding your nervous system, you may begin noticing something: You keep doing certain things even when you don’t want to.
Maybe you overcommit, maybe you procrastinate, maybe you people-please, maybe you avoid the very thing that matters most to you, maybe you swing between doing all the things and then completely shutting down.
And you think: “Why do I keep doing this? Why can’t I just change? Why do I keep getting in my own way?”
If you’ve ever asked yourself those questions, this episode is for you.
Because what if the patterns slowing you down are not proof that you’re lazy, broken, or failing? What if they’re protective patterns?
This is such an important shift. So often we judge our behaviors without understanding them. We call ourselves inconsistent, undisciplined, too much, not enough.
But many of the habits that frustrate us most are actually nervous system responses, patterns your body learned in an effort to protect you. Not failures, protection.
Let’s talk about two common ways this shows up.
It could be Team Hyper: Overdoing
This can look like overworking, overthinking, over-committing, perfectionism, people-pleasing, always staying busy. Feeling like if you just do more, maybe you’ll finally feel okay.
This is often a protective response. Your nervous system may believe that staying ahead, staying productive, or keeping everyone happy helps you stay safe. So you push and push and push until eventually you can’t, which leads to…
Team Hypo: Shutting Down
This can look like procrastination, numbing out, avoidance, exhaustion, scrolling, disconnection, giving up before you begin.
And again, this isn’t necessarily laziness. Sometimes your nervous system decides this feels like too much, let’s conserve energy instead.
So if you’ve ever bounced between overdoing and shutting down, you’re not alone. This is actually a really common nervous system loop. You go hard until your system overloads: then you crash, then you judge yourself, then you push harder, and the cycle repeats.
This is why all or nothing habits can feel so exhausting. You’re either: I’m doing everything perfectly or I’ve completely fallen off the bandwagon.
But real sustainable growth usually doesn’t happen in extremes. It happens when we get curious about the pattern itself.
So instead of asking, “What’s wrong with me?” try asking, “What is my nervous system trying to protect me from?” That question changes everything.
Maybe people-pleasing is protecting you from rejection. Maybe procrastination is protecting you from failure. Maybe perfectionism is protecting you from criticism, or maybe avoidance is protecting you from discomfort.
When we understand the protection, we can begin creating new patterns. Not through shame, but through awareness. Because you cannot shift what you do not notice.
So today, I want you to get curious. What’s really slowing your climb?
Is it fear of failure? Fear of success? Fear of disappointing others? Fear of being seen? Are you stuck in overdrive or are you shutting down? No judgment, just curiosity.
Because awareness is how we stop fighting ourselves and start understanding ourselves.
Your patterns make sense, but they do not have to keep running the show. You can learn new ways. You can create more safety. You can build a calmer, stronger climb.
And this, this is exactly the kind of work I love doing with my clients. Because sometimes what’s slowing you down isn’t a lack of motivation, it’s a protective pattern that you’ve never fully understood. And when we uncover those patterns together, everything can begin to shift.
So if you’re realizing, “Wow, I think I’ve been stuck in some patterns that are keeping me from the life I really want,” I’d love to support you. Details HERE
This is the heart of my coaching, helping you understand what’s beneath the habits, regulate your nervous system, and climb in a way that actually feels sustainable. Because you don’t need more shame, you need more understanding and support.
So today, get curious. What’s really slowing your climb? Because when you understand the pattern, you can begin to change the path. Hmmm, something to think about.
Here’s to noticing what’s been holding you back, to climbing calmer and stronger, and to more lovin. Have a good one, y’all.
Thanks for tuning in. If you’re ready to take what we talk about here and make it personal, let’s work together one-on-one. I’ll help you calm your nervous system, strengthen your relationships, and create more lovin, laughter, and calm in your life. You can find all the details at leannaustin.com
Until next time, keep choosing fun, connection, and a whole lot more lovin. Have a good one y’all.