Discover how stress hijacks your intuition - and the simple somatic resets that put you back in charge.

Even the most capable leaders slip into stress responses without realizing it. In this solo episode, I translate nervous system theory into daily-life signals you can actually spot—and shift. We walk through fight, flight, freeze, and fawn, how each one blocks intuition, and simple somatic resets to bring your vagus nerve back online so decision-making, creativity, and presence feel clear again.

You’ll hear about 

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  The “window of tolerance” and why stress isn’t the enemy—unprocessed stress is.

  
  


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  Everyday tells of each state: over-explaining (fight), busy-work + doom-scrolling (flight), fog + paralysis (freeze), people-pleasing and price-dropping (fawn).

  
  


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  Fast nervous-system resets you can do anywhere (no equipment required).

  
  

 Resources mentioned

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  Free Energy Audit (track what fuels vs. drains): brendawinkle.com/audit

  
  


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  Free breathwork + futurescaping meditation: https://www.brendawinkle.com/feelbetter 

  
  


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  60-second Listener Survey to help shape what’s next: Linked here

  
  

If this episode served you: Leave a quick rating and 1–2 sentence review on Apple Podcasts—it truly helps heart-led leaders find this show and share it with three people you care about. 

Disclaimer: This episode shares nervous system education and somatic practices. It is not medical advice.

Keywords: Brenda Winkle, Your Yes Filled Life, leadership guide, psychic medium, somatic coach, nervous system, stress responses, fight, flight, freeze, fawn, window of tolerance, vagus nerve, intuition, creativity, decision-making, nervous system regulation, effective leadership, personal well-being, Polyvagal Theory, Stephen Porges, The Body Keeps the Score, Bessel van der Kolk, stress management, emotional awareness, micromanaging, procrastination, avoidance behaviors, self-compassion, grounding techniques, mindfulness, breathwork, energy regulation, survival mode, chronic stress, people-pleasing, intuition block, authentic self, stress patterns, self-awareness, compassionate leadership, resilience, heart-led leadership, empowered decisions, clarity, freedom, stress hormones, cortisol, adrenaline, serotonin, dopamine, prefrontal cortex, emotional numbness, stress signals, healing, momentum, perfectionism, boundaries, cultural conditioning, overwork, burnout.