The Moment I Realized I Was No Longer Living in Survival

From Fear to Faith: Learning to Trust My Intuition & Nervous System

by Christen Stammerjohann

I had a realization in the shower the other day. After searching and meditating on what I truly want for my life and for my practice, something clicked in a way that felt different... grounded, calm, and clear.

I realized how well I am actually working with my intuition and my nervous system. And how life-changing it has been to come from a place of faith instead of fear…from a calm awareness of my nervous system instead of reacting from it.

Because for so long, it felt like those two parts of me were bumping heads... creating confusion, frustration, and even dramatic situations in my life. But now… they’re working together. And what’s guiding me is coming from a place of wisdom, groundedness, honesty, and clarity. Not from learned masks or behaviors like people pleasing, self-sacrificing, politeness, or believing I am somehow less than.

I don’t even remember when it started, the belief that I needed to shrink… to be smaller than my true self in order to be seen or accepted. But after years of my healing journey, I can honestly say…I’m no longer holding myself back. I’m no longer holding myself down because I’m “not an expert” in something.

Because the truth is... the beauty of becoming anything is the process you go through. It’s the experiences that light up the path that feels good to your soul.

More than anything, I’ve learned how to talk to myself. I’ve learned how to recognize when it might be an old version of me speaking in my head.

And I don’t see that voice as something that’s trying to torture me anymore.
It’s trying to get my attention.

Because even in the not-so-nice thoughts… there is a message.
There is a lesson. Even if the lesson is simply to pause, recognize what’s happening, and choose to be kinder to myself. It doesn’t always have to be a big story. Sometimes it is. Sometimes it isn’t. It changes moment to moment.

And that’s actually why I fell in love with this work.

Learning how to integrate small things into my day like reminders to be kind to myself and to others; to take a breath; to give myself a hug, and to recognize that every day I get to live this human experience is another day to be grateful for.

If this is something you’re moving through too... learning how to shift from your inner critic to your inner coach, you’re not alone.

It’s not about silencing that voice. It’s about understanding it, working with it, and learning how to respond in a way that supports who you are becoming.

This is something I’ve been deeply integrating into my work, and it’s been one of the most powerful shifts, not just for me, but for the people I support.