“Dancing” with our Window of Tolerance

The importance of nervous system regulation practices during times of transition

By Islena Faircrest, Transformative Life Coach

There is a lot of buzz about “mindset” with so much transition occurring in the face of personal, professional, and business pivoting during the pandemic.

Yes, growth mindset is key to character development. And intelligence and talent are changeable, transformative elements that can be strengthened with commitment and focussed work on our thoughts and beliefs that shape our habits and behaviours.

But that being said, a larger contributor to our outcomes, is nervous system regulation. Behavioural transformation cannot be elicited without it.

Islena’s next Breathwork and Guided Meditation Workshop is on Sunday November 22nd.

What is our window of tolerance?

Consider it the parameters of optimal functionality for your nervous system. It is different for all of us based on our life history & experiences, and it is as unique as our fingerprints. It is the “gates” in which we can operate within our best potential for the demands of everyday life without overextending and over-taxing ourselves. When we are in our optimal zone of arousal in our window of tolerance (arousal meaning our ability to respond functionally to the situation/environment/circumstance) we are readily able to receive, process, and integrate information, and respond accordingly, based on our needs and assessment in the moment. It is our ability to respond to stressors in a healthy, functional way. This creates healthy stress responses, which our nervous system needs in order to remain healthy and active, because our nervous system operates best with a balanced mix of support and challenge.

What are some activities that can help regulate and functionally expand your window of tolerance, in a sustainable, healthy manner?

• Journaling; challenging your thoughts and writing your thoughts/feelings/perceptions down

• Meditation

• Breathwork

• A regular Yoga practice

• Any mind-body discipline/physical activity that has you feel good experiencing an appropriate challenge in the context of your body (appropriate means relevant to your physical and mental capacity in the present moment, where you are challenged just enough to elicit a response in the body to be able to rise to the occasion to meet the demands of the task, without overtaxing yourself)

• Practices that soothe the senses of smell, touch, seeing, and hearing (baths, massage, essential oils, appreciating beauty, art, music, etc)

• Having a buddy or intimate group of colleagues or friends to share your thought process and lifestyle choices with, and invite them to be an observer of your process and choices, giving them permission to provide constructive feedback. Often an extra pair of eyes can help uncover and identify our blind spots.

For more information on understanding and learning about your window of tolerance and nervous system regulation, feel free to email Islena at onboardyoga@gmail.com