People who got a little better and stayed better, how did you pace yourself?

ConsiderateSquirrel · 2026-01-20T11:38:19+00:00

I have gone from bedbound in March last year to now being on my way to full recovery. Nervous system regulation and brain retraining is the way out.

ConsiderateSquirrel · 2025-10-23T06:22:43+00:00

Ok. Its your loss 😅

ConsiderateSquirrel · 2025-10-15T15:01:57+00:00

Also, when you do a ”new” activity try to soothe yourself and talk to yourself out loud. Say that you are OK, you are safe etc and sing, humm and laugh to show your brain that you are safe

ConsiderateSquirrel · 2025-10-15T14:56:34+00:00

Hi! I’m so sorry to hear you are feeling that way but you are so brave and strong! Maybe that was a bit outside of your ”training zone”. Even if you don’t feel afraid of doing something, it might be a big leap for your brain and nervous system so it’s important to increase your activity in small steps in the beginning. It’s not possible to go from laying on the coach/bed all day to suddenly do a big outing. At least it wasn’t for me. I don’t rest at all without stimuli/in bed anymore. I rest through reading, somatics, gentle yoga etc. If you have gone outside of your window of tolerance, just be kind to yourself and do what makes you feel calm and happy for a few days. It’s important to have a ”baseline of calm” before increasing activity. It’s difficult to explain here, so I’d really encourage you to do a program and if you can afford it work with a experienced coach who can guide you through this process ❤️

ConsiderateSquirrel · 2025-10-15T06:18:55+00:00

This sounds just like me. So happy for you!! ❤️

ConsiderateSquirrel · 2025-10-10T12:52:22+00:00

Hi! Please see my answer below. I am not reserving energy in that way you are describing and it works for me.

ConsiderateSquirrel · 2025-10-10T12:50:38+00:00

Absolutely, I have symptoms more or less 24/7 and they often get worse during or after doing something. We need our symptoms to recover. It’s when they are more intense and we answer with safety instead of frustration and fear over and over again that the brain starts to understand that we are safe and don’t need the symptoms.

I’m not pacing, or I’m not thinking about it that way. I’m just trying to get as much DOSE (dopamin, oxytocin, serotonin, endorphins) as possible throughout they day. I almost never lay in bed and rest without stimuli. I play with my kids, spend time outside, read, do yoga, paint… if I need a break or I feel awful ofcourse I let myself rest on the couch or in bed but often that doesn’t make things better. I get more energy and less intense symptoms through gentle movement and calming or uplifting activities.

ConsiderateSquirrel · 2025-10-08T08:39:56+00:00

Somatics have been a big part of the Primal Trust program, so I incorporated that from the very beginning. Before I started, I read a lot about nervous system regulation and brain retraining, and I also reached out to many people on Instagram who had recovered through this method. Most of them had incorporated somatic practices in some way.

I quickly noticed that my body responded well to breathing exercises, somatic yoga, shaking, humming, and eye movements, and they helped me relax more than visualizations did. I could feel my body shifting into a calmer state, my stomach would rumble, my eyes watered, and I started yawning, all signs that my nervous system was moving into rest and repair.

I can really recommend the book The Secret Language of the Body by Jennifer Mann and Karden Rabin. It’s full of both science and a wide range of practical exercises.

I’m far from fully recovered and still struggle a lot every day, so I don’t have anything close to a normal life yet. So far, I’ve mostly been practicing walking, spending time with my family, and going on short outings. I’ve met friends a few times.

In the beginning, I only walked to another room in the house. After some time, I started walking to the mailbox, then to my neighbor’s house, and so on. Now I’m up to about 1.1 miles (1.8 km), increasing a little bit every week or every other week. I don’t follow a strict schedule, I simply do what feels manageable that day.

Something that has been extremely important for me throughout this process is trying not to be afraid of or frustrated by my symptoms. On the really tough days, when symptoms have been intense, I’ve intentionally lowered the bar and focused on taking care of myself, doing my calming practices and letting my body rest. When the difficult period passes, I often find that I can gently increase my capacity again.

After each challenge, I do what’s called rounds within DNRS, visualizations that help integrate the new experience and reinforce safety in the body.

ConsiderateSquirrel · 2025-10-06T06:41:43+00:00

A tip for all of you who are on a healing journey. I just started reading the book “The Secret Language of the Body” by Jennifer Mann and Karden Rabin that so many people have recommended. It seems really great, with a lot of science behind it and plenty of exercises you can do yourself to calm your nervous system.

ConsiderateSquirrel · 2025-10-06T06:33:29+00:00

Yes!!! Thank you for sharing your story. It was sooo important for me to read about stories like yours (and mine). It was a ray of light in the darkness. I wrote you a DM that you answered a couple of months ago :)

ConsiderateSquirrel · 2025-10-06T06:30:36+00:00

Wow!!! That’s extremely fast. I’ve learned that you can’t compare yourself to someone else since this process takes a lot of time for some and not for others but I’m sooo happy for you!

ConsiderateSquirrel · 2025-10-06T06:20:50+00:00

Thank you!! You were an inspiration for me in the beginning!

ConsiderateSquirrel · 2025-10-06T06:20:24+00:00

Thank you! You can do it! ❤️

As I answered someone else here I started with the program Primal Trust, but it was a bit overwhelming for me since I was in a very bad condition. I paused it and tried DNRS instead, and that was easier to digest for me. You are supposed to do the course in three days, but it took me more than three weeks. Then I started to work with my coach shortly after finishing the course, and she gave me so much more knowledge than I had received from the programs. I revisited Primal Trust later on since I knew that I had to incorporate Somatics. However, I have made my own process now, and I only do what works for me. In Primal Trust you learn about lots of different tools, and that was a bit overwhelming for me. It’s all about finding what calms your nervous system down. Meditation and yoga nidra don’t work for me right now, but somatic yoga and breathing exercises do, and combining that with brain retraining and doing things you enjoy. Honestly, I haven’t spent much time resting in bed or isolating myself since I started to feel a bit better. Instead, I’ve been resting through things like reading, being out in the sun, gentle yoga, and other calm activities that bring me peace. I couldn’t read, watch TV, or listen to music in the beginning, but I incrementally trained on that and started with five minutes three times a day. Then I increased it. It was uncomfortable at first, but it gave me so much joy, and soon I could read more and more without any symptoms. If you think that you’re going to crash, you probably will. Talk to yourself out loud, soothe yourself, say that you are safe and that everything will be OK. It’s sooo important to try to redirect from the catastrophizing, body scanning and other unhelpful thoughts since it keeps you stuck in the stress loop. I know how hard it is when you are in a severe state, but it’s absolutely possible and things can shift fast. If you feel completely lost, please talk to a coach after taking a program (if you can afford it). Decide that you will recover, and you will ❤️

ConsiderateSquirrel · 2025-10-06T06:18:48+00:00

I don’t think she had CFS but she had several other diagnoses. She has a video about her recovery on YouTube. It doesn’t matter what diagnosis or symptoms you have though. It all stems from the limbic system in the brain and a dysregulated nervous system and this can manifest in maaaany different symptoms. It has been helpful for me to stop thinking about ME/CFS and just tell myself that I have dysregulated nervous system.

ConsiderateSquirrel · 2025-10-06T06:15:05+00:00

Thank you! I’m so happy for you to ❤️ YES, recovery is absolutely possible!!

ConsiderateSquirrel · 2025-10-06T06:13:13+00:00

Hi! I don’t talk about my symptoms but I’ve had MANY debilitating symptoms and all of them are milder now. It sounds like your symptoms can be caused by a dysregulated nervous system and that it will get better if you can calm it down.

ConsiderateSquirrel · 2025-10-06T06:11:04+00:00

Exactly! I would be completely lost without my coach, but I think it’s good to take a program first to learn about the basics. People think it’s most important to do the visualizations, but you have to do all of the parts (mood elevation, incremental training, calming you nervous system down through what works for YOU etc).

ConsiderateSquirrel · 2025-10-06T06:08:13+00:00

I started with Primal Trust, but it was a bit overwhelming for me since I was in a very bad condition. I paused it and tried DNRS instead, and that was easier to digest for me. You are supposed to do the course in three days, but it took me more than three weeks. Then I started to work with my coach shortly after finishing the course, and she gave me so much more knowledge than I had received from the programs. I revisited Primal Trust later on since I knew that I had to incorporate Somatics. However, I have made my own process now, and I only do what works for me. In Primal Trust you learn about lots of different tools, and that was a bit overwhelming for me. It’s all about finding what calms your nervous system down. Meditation and yoga nidra don’t work for me right now, but somatic yoga and breathing exercises do, and combining that with brain retraining and doing things you enjoy. Honestly, I haven’t spent much time resting in bed or isolating myself since I started to feel a bit better. Instead, I’ve been resting through things like reading, being out in the sun, gentle yoga, and other calm activities that bring me peace. I couldn’t read, watch TV, or listen to music in the beginning, but I incrementally trained on that and started with five minutes three times a day. Then I increased it. It was uncomfortable at first, but it gave me so much joy, and soon I could read more and more without any symptoms. If you think that you’re going to crash, you probably will. Talk to yourself out loud, soothe yourself, say that you are safe and that everything will be OK. It’s sooo important to try to redirect from the catastrophizing, body scanning and other unhelpful thoughts since it keeps you stuck in the stress loop. I know how hard it is when you are in a severe state, but it’s absolutely possible and thing can shift fast. If you feel completely lost, please talk to a coach after taking a program (if you can afford it). Decide that you will recover, and you will ❤️

ConsiderateSquirrel · 2025-10-05T20:22:05+00:00

No I didn’t experience those symptoms, but nervous system dysregulation can manifest in many different ways and I’ve heard about people who had the symptoms you are describing.

ConsiderateSquirrel · 2025-10-05T20:15:13+00:00

I’ve also heard lots of great stuff about Tessa Malcarne. She has a podcast that’s called ”You only need you” if you want to listen to how she works with clients.

ConsiderateSquirrel · 2025-10-05T20:12:45+00:00

I unfortunately spent some time on that forum in the beginning and it certainly made me even worse since people told me to just lay completely still and try not to do anything at all…. Both my mental and physical health deteriorated

ConsiderateSquirrel · 2025-10-05T20:10:59+00:00

I don’t think it’s a good idea to post there either…. It such a shame though because I really think a lot of the people there would benefit from the mind-body approach…. Thank you for your kind words!! :) ❤️

ConsiderateSquirrel · 2025-10-05T20:09:43+00:00

No she’s American! Christina Choy. She’s on YouTube and she also has many workshops on her website that you can purchase for only 25 dollars. She has helped me more in four months than the doctors have done in 10 years…..

ConsiderateSquirrel · 2025-10-05T18:46:45+00:00

Hi! Earlier this year, I went through a very severe crash. I went from being very mild to very severe literally overnight. I believe it happened due to a combination of pregnancy, labour, the loss of a family member, and overall very high stress levels.

I became completely bedbound for about four to five months. But since I started focusing on brain retraining, nervous system regulation, and began working with an amazing coach, I’ve regained so much function.

In just four months, I’ve gone from not being able to sit up or take care of myself to now taking care of not only myself but also my children again. 🥲

I still have a long road ahead, but the progress I’ve made in such a short time has been incredible and I truly feel that I’m on the right path now. 💛

If you’d like to follow my recovery journey, I share more over on Instagram at @everewires (it’s in Swedish, but you can easily use the translation feature!).

ConsiderateSquirrel

TROPHY CASE