Issue No. 7: Work, work, work, and then we die?

Maybe you don’t hate working. Maybe you’re exhausted.

Hi readers,

Have you ever had the thought:

"I think I just hate working."

I have.

Before founding Nervana, I genuinely did not think I was one of those people who could find meaning in work. I was good at getting things done. But if I’m being honest, a lot of the time I felt like I was skating by and waiting for the weekend.

I remember feeling jealous of people who seemed lit up by their work. People who talked about purpose and mission and calling. I wanted to feel that way, but I mostly felt tired.

Founding Nervana has changed a lot of that for me. I do feel meaning in this work. I care deeply about making mind-body and neuroplastic recovery more accessible. I care about building tools that help people feel less alone in their symptoms.

But even now, I am learning something important:

Meaningful work is still work.

And loving what you do does not mean your body no longer needs rest.

One of my coaches said something to me that I have been thinking about ever since. She reminded me that, in nature, many animals are not “on” all day. Lions hunt, protect, move, and respond when they need to. But they also spend long stretches of time resting.

I had absorbed the idea that rest is what you earn after everything is done. After my endless to-do list is complete. But what if rest is not the reward? What if rest is part of our survival? For some reason, the lion reference landed for me.

I try to channel more lion into my day to give myself some more grace.

I have also been thinking about something I read in one of my favorite books, Scarcity Brain by Michael Easter. One of the ideas in the book is that humans evolved in a world where scarce resources mattered. Food, safety, social connection, and information all helped us survive.

In that kind of environment, seeking more information could be protective.

Where is the food? Is there danger nearby? What does this sensation mean? What does this person think of me? What should I do next?

Of course the brain wants more information. Information can feel like safety.

But in modern life, there is no end to the information.

There is always another article, podcast, Reddit thread, lab result, expert opinion, protocol, supplement, meditation, theory, explanation, and success story.

And when you are living with chronic symptoms, this can become even more intense.

Most of us have experienced the way emotion shows up in the body. Your stomach drops before a hard conversation. Your heart races when your name gets called unexpectedly. Your shoulders rise when you feel watched or evaluated. Your jaw clenches before you even realize you are stressed. Your brain and body are always in conversation.

And if you are someone who tends to be vigilant, analytical, perfectionistic, responsible, high-achieving, or constantly trying to “figure it out,” your nervous system may have learned to live in a state of near-constant monitoring.

Sometimes the healing work is interrupting the loop of more, and doing less.

It may need a cue of safety, like: “Even if I don’t get this information, I will still survive.”

So if you have been feeling burned out, resistant, restless, or like you “hate working,” maybe it is worth asking:

Do I hate work?

Or do I hate the way I have been asking my body to work?

Do I hate healing?

Or do I hate the pressure to heal perfectly?

Do I need more information?

Or do I need more space to let my system settle?

This is your reminder for today:

You are allowed to rest before everything is solved. You are allowed to close the tabs. You are allowed to stop turning healing into another job. You are allowed to be a person with needs, not a machine that just needs the right protocol.

A new Nervana update: Provider Directory

We also recently launched something I’m really excited about:

The Nervana Provider Directory.

Many Nervana users have told us they want more one-on-one support from a mind-body or neuroplastic-informed coach, therapist, or clinician — especially someone who is already familiar with Nervana and understands the journey they are on.

Nervana can be a helpful tool for education, daily practice, nervous system support, and between-session reinforcement. But it is not a replacement for therapy, trauma processing, medical care, or individualized support.

So we created a directory to help users find providers who understand neuroplastic symptoms and are familiar with how Nervana works.

You can explore the directory here.

A conversation on sleep, symptoms, and why I founded Nervana

I was also recently featured in a conversation with Dr. Tovah Goldfine, where we talked about sleep, chronic symptoms, neuroplastic recovery, and the story behind why I started Nervana.

You can watch the conversation here.

Until next time,

Nora

Founder & CEO, Nervana

Important note: Nervana is an educational nervous-system coaching program and not medical care. If you have new, severe, or worsening symptoms, please seek medical evaluation and follow your clinician’s guidance. This newsletter is general information and not medical advice.