I am Calm

24/07/2025

The Shoulder Creep

I have a question for you.

Right now, as you're reading this - where are your shoulders?

If you're like most people, they've probably crept up toward your ears without you even noticing.

This is what I call "the shoulder creep." Your body's way of bracing for the next thing. The next email. The next demand. The next crisis.

Here's what I've learned after years of working with bodies:

Your shoulders aren't tight because you slept wrong or need a better chair (though those don't help).

They're tight because your nervous system thinks it's under threat. All day. Every day.

It's like your body is permanently hunched over, protecting your heart from a world that feels overwhelming.

And the crazy part? We've normalised this.

We accept tight shoulders as part of adulting. We joke about needing wine to relax. We wear our stress like a badge of honor.

But your body is trying to tell you something important:

You're not meant to live in survival mode.

When a client comes to me with shoulders that won't drop, we're not just working on muscles. We're working on permission. Permission to let their guard down. Permission to feel safe in their own skin.

The transformation isn't just physical - though that tight knot between their shoulder blades does realise.

It's the moment they realise they can actually breathe fully again.

It's remembering what it feels like when their body isn't braced for impact.

It's the relief of finally, finally being able to let go.

If your shoulders are reading this post from somewhere near your ears right now...

Take a breath. Let them drop. Just for a moment.

Your body remembers how to be calm. Sometimes it just needs reminding that it's safe to try.

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If this resonates, I would love to help you regain that natural ease, because you deserve to feel at home in your own body.

23/07/2025

I'm looking for 8 people who'd like to join me for a private small-group session on Zoom next week.

Here's what's really happening: I see so many of you asking for "ways to relax and de-stress," "tools to help in moments of chaos," and support with "rebuilding your nervous system." I know exactly where I want to help you get to—that place where you can breathe easily, feel calm in your body, and navigate life's pressures without losing yourself.

What I'm still figuring out is the best way to package that support so it actually fits into your real life—not just sounds good on paper.

That's why I'm creating this space—for a real conversation about what would actually serve you where you are right now.

I'll guide you through a calming, breath-led experience designed to interrupt the stress spiral and show you how your breathing might be affecting your body, your energy, and your ability to find calm.

But honestly? I'm just as interested in hearing from you. Where are you feeling the pressure? What would make the biggest difference? What gets in the way of the calm you're craving?

This isn't a workshop or anything I'm selling—it's me, figuring out how to help people like you in the most useful way possible.

If you're up for being part of this conversation, reply with the word BREATH and I'll send you more details.

I'm keeping it to 8 people so we can have real, honest exchanges—and I'll ask you a few quick questions first to help me customise the experience.

With calm,
Sue x

22/07/2025

Observations.

Lately, I've noticed something interesting during Reiki sessions. Almost all of my clients' energy is off to the right side of their bodies. That's the masculine side - the 'doing' side.

The part of us that pushes through, takes care of everyone else, and gets things done.

And it makes sense.

We live in a world that rewards doing. Productivity. Achievement.

But there's less space for 'being.' For softness. For slowness. For recovery.

It shows up in the body as:
- Tight neck and shoulders (especially on the right)
- Shallow, fast breathing
- Struggling to switch off at night
- Feeling guilty for resting

This pattern I'm seeing in sessions? It's everywhere…

🔹 92% of my clients say they're struggling with stress, anxiety, or overwhelm
🔹 63% say they don't know how to relax—or feel like it's a work in progress
🔹 78% are actively searching for ways to feel calm and supported, but don't know where to start

This isn't just a "you" problem.

It's a reflection of how our culture has taught us to ignore rest and live in survival mode.

It's about bringing balance back - here's what my clients say:

🌿 "The most relaxed I've felt in months"
🌿 "Like a new woman"
🌿 "Revived, calm, and able to sleep again"
🌿 "My energy and enthusiasm for life have returned"
🌿 "My nervous system feels like it's finally healing"

Many of us are stuck in 'doing' mode—tight in the body, wired in the mind. But it doesn't have to stay that way.

In the right environment, with gentle support, your nervous system remembers how to rest. Your body knows the way back to calm.

If this speaks to you… let's talk.

15/07/2025

Ever notice how some people leave you feeling more grounded, just by being around them?

That’s nervous system energy. When you regulate yours, you help regulate others too.

Start with one deep, soft breath today — and feel the ripple.

09/07/2025

Breathwork Isn't Just Deep Breathing

Used to think breathwork was just "take a deep breath and relax." Tried it, didn't work, figured I was doing it wrong.

People think breathwork is one-size-fits-all. Just breathe deeply and magically feel better. When it doesn't work, they assume they're not good at it.

But breathwork is actually about nervous system regulation. Different breathing patterns create different states - some energise, some calm, some help process emotion. It's about finding what your nervous system needs in each moment.

The path from "breathwork doesn't work for me" to "my breath is my most reliable tool" starts with understanding: there's no wrong way to breathe, only different techniques for different states.

Tonight's stretch class includes simple breathwork that anyone can do. We match the technique to what your nervous system needs, not what Instagram says you should do.

Your breath is the bridge between surviving and thriving. Learning to use it consciously is one of the most powerful skills you can develop.

Tonight 6:15pm, Wellsway School.

Relaxing and restorative stretch session - find length in tight muscles and calm in your mind!

06/07/2025

Inhale calm. Exhale everything else.

06/07/2025

"I'm too sensitive" - No, you're not.

A client told me this week she feels "too much" - other people's stress, busy environments, the general chaos of modern life. She thought something was wrong with her.

We're taught that being affected by energy means we're weak. That we should be able to handle more, cope better, toughen up.

But what if your sensitivity is actually your superpower? A finely tuned nervous system that picks up on what others miss, notices problems before they become crises, responds to beauty and connection more deeply.

The journey isn't about becoming less sensitive - it's about learning to work WITH your sensitivity. Understanding your energetic boundaries and having tools to regulate when you feel overwhelmed.

Energy work like Reiki helps sensitive souls learn to manage their energetic field while honouring their natural awareness. It's not about numbing your gifts - it's about using them wisely.

In a world that often feels disconnected, your sensitivity is needed. We just need to help you feel safe with it.

Book your Reiki session here: http://bit.ly/3I7vOSt

04/07/2025

The most radical act? Choosing rest over rush.

04/07/2025

Why Your Shoulders Live Near Your Ears.

Caught my shoulders creeping toward my ears three times yesterday. Once while reading emails, once while driving, once while making dinner.

We think shoulder tension is about posture or sitting at desks too long. So we try to remember to "sit up straight" or buy ergonomic chairs.

But shoulder tension isn't just physical - it's your nervous system bracing for impact. Every deadline, every difficult conversation, every moment you pushed through stress gets stored in your tissues.

The path from chronic tension to lasting relief isn't just about stretching tight muscles (though that helps). It's about addressing why your nervous system feels it needs to brace in the first place.

Wednesday stretch classes combine gentle movement with breathwork to help release what you've been carrying. We work with your nervous system, not against it.

Your body holds the story of your stress. But it also knows how to let go when it feels safe to do so.

Wednesdays 6:15pm, Wellsway School. £7, first class free. Book: 👇

Relaxing and restorative stretch session - find length in tight muscles and calm in your mind!

02/07/2025

The Myth of "Just Breathe": Why 'Just Breathe' Advice Falls Flat (And What Works Instead)

Someone told you to "just breathe" when you were anxious, right? And it probably made you want to scream because you were ALREADY breathing and it wasn't helping?

Here's why that advice misses the mark: when your nervous system is activated, conscious breathing can actually feel more threatening. Your body thinks, "Why are we changing our breathing? Is there danger?"

The secret isn't forcing different breathing. It's befriending your current breath first, then gently inviting change.

Try this: Don't change anything. Just notice your breath for 30 seconds. What do you discover?

02/07/2025

Calm isn't a destination. It's a practice.

02/07/2025

The Tuesday Afternoon Crash Isn't Personal

2:30pm yesterday and I hit that wall. You know the one - where suddenly you could fall asleep at your desk and everything feels like wading through treacle.

Most people reach for caffeine or power through, thinking the energy dip means they're lazy or not managing their time well.

But your body has natural energy rhythms. That afternoon dip? It's normal. Your nervous system is designed to have periods of activation and rest throughout the day.

Instead of fighting your body's wisdom, what if you worked with it? What if that energy dip was information about what you need, not evidence of personal failure?

Try this: next time you feel that afternoon crash, take 5 minutes for gentle breathwork instead of reaching for coffee. See what your body is actually asking for.

Your energy patterns aren't character flaws - they're your nervous system's way of maintaining balance. Learning to work with them instead of against them changes everything.