30/03/2026
You cannot THINK your way to a feeling of safety.
I know the indoor pool I swim in, is warm. I've been swimming there for over a year, usually 5 or 6 times a week. Cognitively I know the water is warm, but I still held my breath this morning.
As the warmth of the water, and the familiarity submerged me, I exhaled. The buoyancy of the water held me, and I FELT safe.
Contraction is an automatic, involuntary survival mechanism, that's designed to protect the body, and mind from threat.
Expansion is a healthy sign of releasing tension or trauma. It's where you transition from a state of survival (contraction), to a state of safety (expansion).
Expanding or Contracting ?
You could try checking in with your physical sensations, emotions, and cognitive patterns to see if you are operating from a place of open curiosity or protected tension. Expansion represents growth and connection. Contraction represents a protective, restrictive state often triggered by stress.
A healthy nervous system moves between these two states. It's common to feel contraction just before a period of expansion.
If you're consistently stuck in contraction you might like to try deep breathing, self compassion, and gentle movement.
![If you're feeling [overwhelmed], form a loop around your body. Starting by focusing your attention on your left foot, mo...](https://img5.findhealthclinics.com/489/134/1605761504891343.jpg)
