Wisdom from Think Well: Creating a Stress Reduction Toolkit
How to Build Your Own Stress Reduction Toolkit
Stress is unavoidable, but the way we respond to it? That’s where our real power lies.
That’s why we want to help you understand stress and to equip you with practical tools to manage it effectively. Let’s jump into some of the key insights shared during our recent workshop and explore how you can start building your own stress reduction toolkit!
How Trauma, Toxins, and Thoughts Impact Your Health
Stress can be sneaky—sometimes loud and obvious, but more often, it slips in quietly from all angles.
There are three main sources we see most often: trauma, toxins, and thoughts.
Physical trauma, like a fall, accident, or repetitive strain, is usually the easiest to recognize.
But there’s another layer we don’t always think about: toxins. On average, we’re exposed to around 32,000 chemicals every week. They’re hiding in our food, the water we drink, even the air we breathe, and they put real strain on our systems over time.
Then there are our thoughts. This one’s big. The stories we repeat in our heads, the worries we hold onto, the negative self-talk. Our thoughts can shape our stress response more than we realize.
You’ve probably heard Dr. Nate say it before: “What we think about and thank about, we bring about.”
Understanding the Window of Tolerance
One of the key concepts we explored was the “window of tolerance,” a powerful framework for understanding how our nervous system responds to stress.
This window represents the zone where you’re best able to function: you can think clearly, stay emotionally balanced, and respond to challenges without becoming overwhelmed. When you’re inside this window, your body and brain are in sync. You feel grounded, present, and capable—ready to make decisions, connect with others, and handle what comes your way.
But when stress pushes you outside that window, your nervous system shifts into survival mode. That’s when fight, flight, or freeze responses kick in, making it harder to regulate emotions, think clearly, or feel safe in your own body.
Understanding your window—and recognizing when you’re drifting out of it—is a crucial step toward managing stress more effectively and returning to a place of calm and clarity.
How to Recognize Signs of Nervous System Dysregulation
Dysregulation happens when our nervous system gets overwhelmed and can’t maintain its usual balance. This disruption shows up in two main ways: hyperarousal and hypoarousal.
Hyperarousal is like your body stuck on high alert—think tight muscles, irritability, racing or obsessive thoughts, and a constant sense of tension or anxiety. When you’re in this state, it can be helpful to reach for tools that help you calm your system. If you tend to experience hyperarousal, your toolkit will include things to help you create calm and relaxation.
Hypoarousal is the shutdown mode, where you might feel numb, disconnected, foggy, or experience memory lapses. It’s as if your system has pulled the emergency brake to protect itself, but in doing so, it leaves you feeling detached or spaced out. If you tend to experience hyperarousal, your toolkit will include things to help your body and energize your mood.
The first step in managing these states is learning to recognize the signs in yourself and where you land on the spectrum. That awareness opens the door to making intentional choices that help your nervous system find its way back to calm and balance.
Six Ideas for Building Your Stress Reduction Toolkit
Creating a stress reduction toolkit is about finding what works for you. Below are just some of the ideas we shared during the workshop. You can find the whole worksheet here.
Essential oils: The nerve from your nose to your brain has the quickest response. Essential oils can be a quick way to calm or energize, depending on which oils you use. For example, lavender is calming for most, while bergamot is energizing.
BrainTap app: This app offers meditation and music to help regulate your mood.
Physical activity: Movement is crucial. Whether it’s gardening or a brisk walk, getting your body moving can help manage stress, especially when you’re in the hypoarousal state.
Healthy snacks: Nourish your body with the right foods. Avoid stress-eating junk food and opt for healthier options.
Reminder cards: Place positive affirmations around your home to remind yourself of your worth and capabilities.
Journaling: Spend a few minutes each night jotting down your thoughts. It’s a great way to unwind and clear your mind.
The Health Triangle
Your overall well-being is made up of three interconnected parts: physical, mental, and social health, often called the health triangle. Each side supports the others, so when one area falls out of balance, it can create ripple effects across the whole system.
Keeping these three aspects in harmony is essential for staying within your window of tolerance—the zone where you can manage stress effectively, think clearly, and stay emotionally steady. When your health triangle is strong, you’re better equipped to handle life’s ups and downs with resilience and calm.
Effective Stress Management
The journey to managing stress isn’t about getting everything perfect overnight. It’s about the small, consistent steps that add up over time to create meaningful change. Every little habit you build, every mindful choice you make, helps strengthen your resilience and brings you closer to lasting balance.
A great way to start is by choosing just three practical tools or techniques to add to your stress-management toolkit. Try them out, see how they feel, and don’t be afraid to tweak or swap them as you learn what truly supports you.
The key is to make space for yourself, prioritize your well-being, and remember that taking time to care for yourself isn’t a luxury; it’s essential.
You deserve that kind of attention and kindness.
We’re here to support you as you keep your body and mind in balance.
If it’s been more than 30 days since your last adjustment, now’s the perfect opportunity to book your next visit.
