Have you heard of “somatic therapy”?

Something I studied as part of my qualifications was somatic therapy and its something that I have been bringing into my work more and more in recent months.

As business owners, we often face high-pressure situations where we need to make important decisions quickly. However, our innate "fight or flight" stress response can sometimes impair our ability to think clearly in these moments.  Can you relate?

When we perceive a threat - whether real or imagined - our bodies flood with adrenaline and cortisol. While this helped our ancestors survive immediate physical threats, it can cloud our judgement significantly.

Many of us default to one of three reactions in the face of extreme stress: fight, flight, or freeze. Those in "fight" mode may become aggressive, arguing forcefully for their viewpoint. "Flight" can mean withdrawing or avoiding decisions altogether. And "freeze" leads to overwhelm-induced paralysis and unable to ‘just get on with it’.

Unfortunately, none of these instinctive reactions promote balanced, rational thinking and clear action taking. As leaders, our judgment and ability to take action in pivotal moments shapes the trajectory of our companies. A hair-trigger stress response can lead to impulsive decisions we later question or even regret.

Learning to regulate our nervous systems may sound a bit woo woo, but trust me, it pays dividends if we can learn how to do this in critical moments in our work, and for our health and wellbeing long term.

With self-awareness and self-regulation, we can hit pause on fight-or-flight and lead from a place of openness and intention. The difference might surprise you.