Finding Your Pace: Nervous System Regulation & The Art of Slowing Down

I booked some time away to slow down. To step out of my usual rhythm, breathe, and give my body a break. But as soon as I arrived, I realised how hard it was actually going to be. Why do we wait until we’re on holiday to slow down? And even then, why is it so difficult?

Just seeing the Welcome to Wales sign made me feel good. Then the mountains came into view, and I felt that familiar excitement of being somewhere wilder, somewhere that makes everything else feel small for a bit. It makes sense—nature is one of the most well-researched ways to regulate the nervous system. But even with that, I noticed something straight away.

I went straight from the car to a 3 hour hike. I wanted to move slower, but my body kept picking up the pace. I’d catch myself rushing, try to slow down, then find myself speeding up again without realising. It wasn’t just habit—it was nervous system energy. I had that flight energy running through me. And that’s not bad, it’s just information.

Meeting Your Body Where It’s At

I think we often talk about slowing down as if it’s something you can just do. But regulation doesn’t work like that. You can’t go from a high-energy, activated state to total stillness and expect it to feel good. The body has to be met where it’s at.

So instead of forcing myself to move at some artificially slow pace, I let myself move how I needed to. I walked fast. I felt the energy in my body. And then, little by little, I slowed down. Not all at once—just slightly. Like turning the volume dial down by one notch instead of muting it completely.

That’s what regulation is. Not stopping or forcing calm, but adjusting in small ways. If you’re in fight-or-flight, movement is often helpful. But instead of pushing through at full speed, you can gently start to bring the pace down.

The Other Side: When Slowing Down Becomes Stuck

I know the other side of this too—when I go into freeze and don’t want to move at all. The days when I stay in bed, scrolling, zoning out, completely still. Again, not bad, just information. A sign my nervous system is in shut down.

And just like I wouldn’t expect myself to stop moving all at once when I’m in flight, I can’t expect myself to jump up and be productive when I’m in freeze. The way out is the same—small shifts. A stretch. Rolling onto my side. Sitting up. Something to start bringing movement back in, without forcing it.

Bringing This Into Everyday Life

I wonder if one way to make it more possible to not need these escaping holidays—where we get sick, collapse, or hike for hours just to manage overwhelm—is to bring more intentionality into everyday moments. It’s not about rushing all day and then adding in a restful moment at the end, as if that cancels everything out. It’s about noticing throughout the day—where is my body at right now? What pace do I actually need?

It’s not about perfect balance or getting it right. It’s about persistence—coming back to noticing, again and again. Because you will drift, and that’s fine. The work is in returning.

So, where are you at today? Are you moving fast, slow, or swinging between the two? What’s one small shift you could make right now?