FearLess - PTSD Australia New Zealand

11/01/2026

Emotional regulation is a core life skill. It helps adults navigate relationships, manage stress, and protect their mental health. Recognising when someone lacks this skill — and choosing boundaries — is not unkind, it’s self-respect. Practised consistently, emotional regulation can change how safe and steady life feels.

10/01/2026

It is not our job to talk someone out of what they are feeling. There is no right or wrong way to feel.

The most supportive thing we can do is meet them where they are, not where we think they should be. Listen. Hold space. Let it be about them, not about fixing the moment.

Being there means showing up with understanding, patience and care.

09/01/2026

Big change rarely starts big. It starts small.

The beginning of a new year can make it tempting to overhaul everything at once. Big goals, big plans, big promises to yourself. But research and lived experience both show that sweeping changes often lead to overwhelm rather than progress.

Starting small creates momentum. If connection is your goal, one step might be joining a local group that interests you. If movement is your focus, it could be as simple as finding a space that feels right and taking the first visit. Small actions build confidence and make change sustainable.

Growth does not need urgency. It needs realism, patience and steps that fit your life.

08/01/2026

Calm doesn’t arrive all at once. It’s built in small moments.

If you’re not sure where to begin, gentle daily mindfulness practices can help create space and steadiness. Grounding your attention in what you can see, hear, feel and notice can bring you back into the present. A quiet morning check in before the day gets loud can help you understand your mood and needs. Slow, intentional breathing can ease stress when things feel heightened.

Mindfulness can also show up in everyday moments. Eating with awareness, noticing texture and taste, allows the body to slow down. A brief body scan before sleep can help muscles soften and support rest. Reflecting on a few emotions you felt during the day and what shaped them can build self understanding over time.

These practices do not need to be perfect or time consuming. Small moments of attention, repeated consistently, can support inner calm.

07/01/2026

Self care does not need to be fancy to be effective.

At the beginning of the year, it can be tempting to think wellbeing requires big changes or time consuming routines. Often, the rituals that support us most are the simplest ones.

Small, consistent acts of kindness toward yourself create steady rhythms that support emotional and mental health over time. Even ten minutes of intentional self care each day has been shown to significantly reduce stress, reminding us that simple actions, practiced regularly, can have a powerful impact.

You do not need to do everything. You just need to begin somewhere that feels manageable.

06/01/2026

This year doesn’t need fixing. It needs intention.

Mental health intentions invite gradual forward movement, not guilt, comparison or rigid resolutions. They act like quiet road signs, reminding you how you want to feel, how you want to care for yourself, and the emotional atmosphere you want to nurture as the year unfolds.

Intentions are not about getting it right. They are about alignment, honesty and growth at your own pace.

That might sound like choosing kindness toward yourself, resting when your body asks for it, noticing what drains your energy and protecting what restores it, or allowing yourself the time and space to recover without rushing.

Small intentions, held gently, can shape meaningful change over time.

05/01/2026

Post-traumatic stress can affect people in different ways.

For some, it shows up as feeling constantly on edge, alert or unable to fully relax. For others, it can look like emotional numbness, withdrawal or ongoing exhaustion. These responses are not signs of weakness. They are the body and mind adapting after experiences that were overwhelming.

Post-traumatic stress is not always visible, and it does not follow a single pattern. Understanding this helps create compassion, patience and better support for ourselves and for others.

04/01/2026

Listening is not just a skill. It is a way of being.

Real listening does not start with trying to respond better. It starts with how we show up to the conversation. With our body, our breath, our openness and our willingness to truly encounter another person.

Philosopher Martin Buber described this as the I–Thou relationship, meeting someone not as a problem to solve, but as a person to engage with. Ontological coaching builds on this idea through the concept of the legitimate other, recognising that every person’s experience comes from a meaningful and valid inner world.

Holding someone as a legitimate other does not require agreement. It asks for respect, curiosity and presence. When this happens, shoulders soften, breathing slows and difference no longer feels threatening.

When we listen this way, perspectives expand. Insight replaces defence. Connection becomes possible.

We live in a world overflowing with communication, yet so many of our conversations leave us feeling unseen, unheard, or not understood. From leadership meetings to relationships and family...

03/01/2026

Before you rush into the new year, pause here for a moment.

This next season doesn’t need pressure or reinvention. It can begin with honesty. What feels worth carrying forward. What are you ready to release. What would help you feel steadier, more supported or more connected. How can you honour both the hardship you have survived and the strength you have built.

Lasting change often begins with small, compassionate shifts.

02/01/2026

Safety doesn’t have to be big. It can be simple.

Creating moments of safety can help regulate the nervous system, especially during periods of stress or overwhelm. This might look like a warm drink, quiet time alone, a walk outside, journalling, or connecting with someone who understands.

Grounding is about noticing what helps you feel steady and giving yourself permission to return to it.

01/01/2026

As the new year begins, we want to acknowledge that this moment can feel different for everyone.

For some, it brings hope and possibility. For others, it may carry fatigue, grief or uncertainty. Wherever you find yourself today, you are not alone.

From all of us at FearLess, we wish you a steady, supported and gentle start to the year ahead.

Happy New Year.

31/12/2025

New year goals don’t need to feel overwhelming.

This article explores a trauma-informed approach to setting intentions for the new year, recognising that pressure, comparison and rigid goal setting can be challenging for people living with trauma.

Instead of pushing for transformation, it invites reflection, self-compassion and goals that support safety, regulation and wellbeing.

As the year comes to a close, this is a helpful reminder that growth can be gentle and progress can look different for everyone.

Read the article here:

A calm, supportive framework—rooted in real stories and research—to help you set goals without draining your emotional reserves.