Recently I was engulfed in an equally dramatic and traumatic situation. The circumstance only lasted a handful of minutes, but I felt the ripple effects for a solid week.

On the day it happened, I was very up and down emotionally, crying in one instance, feeling very calm and focused in the next.

The next day, I was p*ssed! I was so angry I wanted to set things on fire. 🔥

On day three, I was up and down again – a steady mix of outrage and weepiness. The rollercoaster of emotions went on like this for a few more days.

I know that when things like this happen in my world – which thankfully is not very often – I require to feel supported and loved. So, I immediately reached out to one of mentors and shared all that had taken place.

I am incredibly thankful I have support like this in my life. She reminded me how important it was for me to stay in present time.

Because when we get triggered or scared, or when old trauma is reactivated in our bodies by new trauma, it’s very easy to perseverate on the past OR to try to figure out what’s going to happen in the future.

Both of these responses to drama and trauma are very normal, but they take us out of the present moment, which is where we are the most effective and powerful.

It wasn’t easy at first, but with practice I helped myself stay present by looking at and naming my surroundings – things like the vase of fresh flowers on my kitchen counter, the bright turquoise ankle socks I was wearing, the fluffy blanket I sometimes curl up in, and so on.

I kept reminding myself that I am 48. I live in Colorado in a beautiful home. I am a mother of an almost 8-year old son. We are both safe, healthy, and kind.

I kept telling myself that I am not living a former life where drama and trauma were far more frequent. I reminded myself I have removed drama and trauma from my world – I did that – and that the incident was over. It was over and all is well.

I also kept telling myself that I don’t need to worry or plan or activate that hypervigilant system in my body (again), because today, right now, I am safe.

I am 48 (not 7). I have created a beautiful, peaceful, and deeply supportive life for myself and my son. Because all of that is TRUE. All of that is what is real.

The next time you find yourself unwittingly involved in a dramatic or traumatic situation, you may navigate the situation itself, like I did, with a modicum of clarity and poise.

But if your nervous system is easily dysregulated, or you are dealing with health and body issues that lead to exhaustion and overwhelm, or anxiety and worry, you may feel the ripple effects of that situation for some time afterward.

And that’s where my 2 tips for navigating drama and trauma come into play:

1. Reach out for support. Your safety and well-being are important. Surround yourself with your people, your tribe, and those who care about you and want to see you thrive. Call them, text them, leave voice messages and ask for help. Let yourself be loved up and reminded of who you are.

1. Keep reminding yourself to come back to the present moment – Breathe and help yourself get present. That drama and trauma is not happening in this moment. The incident is over with. You are safe now.

Life is full of surprises. There are people and circumstances that can shock us, sometimes in unpleasant and inappropriate ways.

You get to honor yourself and remove yourself from those situations and be safe.

You get to ask for the help that you need when you need it.

And you get to help your nervous system remember that the event is over, and that right now, you are safe. All is well.

If for any reason your life isn’t supporting the peace you desire, then it’s time to decide how important that peace is to you, and what you are willing to do to cultivate and preserve more of it in your world.

You get to design a life for yourself – through your choices and your boundaries – that is deliberately drama and trauma free. But it does require you to choose that for yourself.

What are you choosing, and how well are your choices working for you?

PS: My digestion was “off” all week long because my nervous system was dysregulated. I made great food choices and drank a lot of water – both of which helped. But when things go off-line like they did in response to last week’s events, I know I need to do more.

I also made green smoothies for myself every morning, and they really helped bring things back into balance for me. Check out my Green Smoothie Guide below if you want some great recipes to bring your digestion back on track when you need it!