New Nervous System Rituals I’ve Been Trying (& One I’m Giving Up)
You can’t teach new tricks to an old over-functioner.
Or can you?
Over the last few weeks, I’ve been feeling weirdly uninspired with my usual self care go-tos. Journaling felt stale. Meditation felt performative. And don’t even get me started on trying to lie down for a 10-minute breathwork app while my brain screamed, “What’s your ROI on this?”
As you can imagine, this left very little room for the kind of cozy, consistent rituals I usually lean on to feel grounded and safe.
But in trying to get my softness back, I’ve discovered something surprising: switching things up without perfecting them has been incredibly healing.
If you’ve been feeling stuck, uninspired, or like your healing is one more thing on your to-do list, you’re going to love this post. I’m sharing 3 nervous system rituals I’ve been trying lately that feel light, low-pressure, and actually helpful.
Hint: there’s also one classic “relaxation” practice I’m giving up—even though the entire internet (and yes, even my beloved @YogaWithAdriene, who I recommend to clients weekly) swears by it.
Can you guess what it might be? Read on to find out.
💫 Why Trying New Things for Nervous System Regulation Is So Important
You might think you’ve got this whole rest-and-regulate thing down. And maybe you do! But after working with dozens of recovering perfectionists and high-functioning anxious babes, I’ve seen it over and over:
We fall in love with one routine and cling to it—even when it stops serving us.
Eventually, what once felt grounding starts to feel like a performance. You begin avoiding it—not because it’s bad, but because it now carries the weight of “you should be doing this better.”
This happened to my client, Sam (all identifying info is stripped!). She used to swear by evening yoga flows… until she realized she was checking her flexibility progress more than her emotional state.
When she swapped yoga for 10 minutes of knitting before bed, her body softened faster—and the guilt started fading.
Want a similar shift? Good news: I’ve got a free cozy guide for that.
✨ Download Stitch by Stitch – it’s full of rituals that regulate without pressuring you to perform.
#1. New Ritual: 🧶 Knitting Before Journaling
As a recovering “fix-it” perfectionist, I used to reach for my metaphorical pen the moment I felt off (confession - I usually type out draft emails I never send. Like Lara Jean Covey but with a keyboard). But lately, journaling has felt like… more thinking. More effort. More trying.
So I flipped the order: now I knit for five minutes before writing anything down.
Why it helps:
I feel regulated before I try to reflect
My thoughts are slower, more embodied, less judgmental
I don’t spiral into solutions—I just sit with sensation
Next time you feel mentally buzzy but emotionally blocked, try reaching for yarn instead of your notebook.
📚 Related post: What Is Somatic Regulation and Why Is It the Missing Link in Your Healing?
#2. New Ritual: 🧍♀️ Body Rocking Between Tasks
This one felt a little awkward at first—but WOW, has it shifted things.
Between work blocks or sessions, I literally just stand up and rock side to side for 30 seconds. That’s it.
Why it works:
Rhythmic movement mimics the rocking we instinctively crave as babies
It helps down-regulate without requiring stillness
It gives my body a break from sitting and thinking
Bonus: it looks weird enough that it disrupts my perfectionism loop. So, super efficient and effective. Win-win.
#3. New Ritual: 🎧 Ambient Sound Over Music
I love a cozy playlist. But recently, I realized lyrics—even calm ones—were keeping me in my head.
So I’ve been switching to ambient music: lofi jazz, binaural beats, even “coffeehouse sounds + jazz” on Youtube (yes, that’s a thing).
Why I’m obsessed:
Less stimulation = less overwhelm
Some stimulation = sensory anchor to the present
It cues my body: “Hey, it’s okay to soften now.”
If you’re stuck in overthinking loops and music is making it worse, try removing language entirely. Let your nervous system breathe.
🚫 Bonus: I’ve Given Up on Meditation (For Now)
I know, I know. Meditation is great.
But did you know meditation is not the cure all, silver bullet the health gurus believe it to be. Not only can it enable more dysregulation… and for me it can feel like pressure. Like something I’m supposed to achieve. And that’s not restful.
I kept noticing:
I was trying to “do it right” instead of feeling
My mind raced harder when I sat still
I’d end every session feeling like I had somehow failed
So I gave it up. Not forever—just for now.
Instead, I’m letting regulation happen in motion:
Stitch by stitch. Rock by rock. Breath by breath.
And it’s working.
🧠 Key Takeaways
The most progress I’ve made in my nervous system work hasn’t come from perfect routines—it’s come from tiny, imperfect rituals I’m willing to try (and toss if they don’t feel good).
✨ Try knitting before journaling
✨ Add in body-based transitions
✨ Choose ambient sounds to set the tone
✨ Give yourself permission to opt out of tools that don’t serve you
There are so many ways to feel soft, safe, and whole. And I hope this post has given you a few to try.
🧶 Curious about trying your own cozy regulation rituals?
Download Stitch by Stitch – it includes 5 reasons knitting supports nervous system healing, 3 accessible patterns, and a manifesto for Imperfect Making. (No perfect stitches required.)
Have a favorite ritual that’s helping you soften? Come say hi on Instagram—and show me your current WIP. Even if it’s a tangled mess. Especially if it’s a tangled mess.
