In this heartfelt blog, the author shares how dropping off luggage at an airport hotel and chasing a toddler revealed the truth about stress in the body. She reflects on believing stress was just mental and now listening to her body’s signals. The post offers simple somatic healing practices—naming sensations, breathwork, gentle movement, laughter, rest—and invites readers to honor their nervous systems and embrace restful travel. Slow down & breathe.

I was standing at a bakery counter, my nervous system vibrating at an unhinged frequency, having an existential crisis over frosting ducks. We weren’t supposed to be here; we were supposed to be in Disney World. I was drowning in a wave of mom guilt, trying to fix a canceled dream with buttercream waterfowl. This wasn't just about a cake—it was a lesson in somatic awareness and the "Judgment Olympics" we play in our heads when we're dysregulated and just trying to be a "good