02/06/2026
Have you ever noticed that sometimes the hardest part of a difficult conversation is the few minutes before it starts?
Your body is tense.
Your mind is busy.
You’ve already imagined ten different ways it could go wrong.
That’s your nervous system preparing for threat.
It’s a very human response.
Before your next difficult conversation or stressful meeting, try this simple exercise:
👉 Pause and look around the room.
Notice five things you can see.
Take in the space around you.
Let your eyes rest on something that feels pleasant, calming, or simply neutral.
Then gently remind yourself:
“I’m safe. This is a conversation, not a threat.”
This practice is called orientation and it’s one of my favourite nervous system tools because it’s practical, simple, and can be done anywhere.
Sometimes the most powerful thing we can do isn’t prepare a better response.
It’s help our nervous system feel safe enough to have the conversation in the first place.
