How to Reset Your Nervous System with Mindfulness (Mom Edition)

Motherhood is beautiful, exhausting, overwhelming, and everything in between. Some days, you feel deeply connected—calm, present, and in sync with your kids. Other days, the mental load, overstimulation, and stress leave you feeling like you’re running on empty, reacting instead of responding. This is nervous system dysregulation—when your body is stuck in survival mode, making it harder to stay patient, process emotions, and feel at ease. The good news? You can reset your nervous system with mindfulness.

The 7 Attitudes of Mindfulness, introduced by Jon Kabat-Zinn, offer simple, powerful ways to regulate stress, shift your state, and cultivate more presence in your daily life. Here’s how to apply them to nervous system healing as a mom.

How to Reset Your Nervous System with These 7 Mindful Shifts

1. Non-Judgment – Letting Go of Mom Guilt

We are our own worst critics, especially when it comes to motherhood. The pressure to be the perfect mom, to have endless patience, to always know what to do—“I should be more patient,” “I shouldn’t feel this overwhelmed,” “Why can’t I handle this better?” – it’s overwhelming.

But healing starts when we let go of judgment. Your emotions, your reactions, your struggles—they don’t make you a bad mom. They make you human. Here is a simple practice to help you reset your nervous system when stuck in a pattern of self-judgment:

Try this: The next time you feel overwhelmed, pause and simply notice your thoughts. Instead of judging yourself for feeling stressed, acknowledge it: “I’m feeling overstimulated right now, and that’s okay. My body is responding to a lot at once.” This shift alone can ease nervous system activation and help you move from self-criticism to self-compassion.

2. Patience – Trusting Your Healing Process

We live in a fast-paced world that glorifies instant results. But nervous system healing doesn’t happen overnight—it’s a journey of small, daily choices that create long-term change.

As moms, we often expect ourselves to just be better—to snap out of stress, to regulate faster, to always have control. But true healing happens when we allow ourselves to go at our own pace.

Try this: When your nervous system feels dysregulated, give yourself permission to slow down. Instead of pushing through, pause. Take a deep breath, place your hand on your heart, and remind yourself: “Healing happens in layers. I don’t need to rush this.”

3. Beginner’s Mind – Seeing Motherhood Through Fresh Eyes

Children live in a constant state of curiosity and wonder. They don’t overanalyze the moment—they simply experience it. But as adults, we get caught in autopilot, seeing life through a lens of assumptions and expectations.

By embracing a beginner’s mind, we allow ourselves to step out of stress loops and see life as it is, not as we assume it to be.

Try this: When your child is having a meltdown, instead of assuming “This is so overwhelming, I can’t handle this,” pause. Take a breath. Approach the moment with curiosity: “What is my child trying to communicate? What is my nervous system needing right now?” This shift can help you respond rather than react—a key part of nervous system regulation.

4. Trust – Honoring Your Body’s Wisdom

Your body knows how to heal. Your nervous system wants balance. But when stress becomes chronic, we start to distrust ourselves—doubting our instincts, questioning our emotions, and feeling like we need outside validation to know what’s best.

Try this: The next time you feel anxious or overstimulated, tune into your body. Where do you feel tension? Instead of trying to push through, trust your body’s signals. If you need movement, stretch. If you need rest, allow yourself to pause. Your body is always speaking to you—learning to trust it is part of your healing and it is how you reset your nervous system.

5. Non-Striving – You Don’t Have to “Fix” Yourself

We are conditioned to believe that we must always be working on ourselves—that we need to be more patient, more regulated, more in control. But true mindfulness is about being with what is, rather than always trying to change it.

Try this: When you feel overwhelmed, instead of forcing yourself to “calm down,” simply be with the sensation. Place a hand on your heart or belly and say, “I am allowed to feel this. I don’t need to force myself into a different state.” Ironically, this acceptance is often what allows your nervous system to soften and regulate.

6. Acceptance – Meeting Yourself Where You Are

Acceptance doesn’t mean you have to love where you are—it means you stop fighting against it. The reality is, some days are hard. Some moments feel impossible. But resisting those moments only creates more stress.

Try this: When you feel overstimulated, instead of thinking “I shouldn’t feel this way,” try saying: “This is hard, and I am still worthy of care.” Acceptance creates space for regulation because it helps your nervous system feel safe, rather than in a constant battle with reality.

7. Letting Go – Releasing the Weight You Carry

As moms, we hold onto so much—expectations, guilt, pressure, comparison. But true nervous system healing requires releasing what no longer serves us.

Letting go doesn’t mean you don’t care—it means you’re choosing your peace over perfection.

Try this: Before bed, take a moment to physically shake out the day. Stand up, take a deep breath, and gently shake out your hands, arms, and legs. Imagine letting go of the stress, the tension, the expectations. Letting go is a practice, and each time you do it, you send a message to your nervous system: “I don’t have to hold this all.”

Bringing It All Together: Mindfulness for Nervous System Regulation

These 7 attitudes of mindfulness aren’t just ideas—they are practices that help you regulate in real-time. When life feels overwhelming, return to these principles:

• Move your body with patience and curiosity.

• Breathe through the discomfort, trusting your process.

• Heal by releasing judgment and embracing self-compassion.

Motherhood is a journey of growth, surrender, and self-discovery. You don’t have to do it perfectly. You don’t have to have it all figured out. You simply have to be present with yourself—moment by moment, breath by breath.

Your nervous system is listening. Your body is always speaking. And with each mindful step, you are creating a more grounded, regulated, and peaceful version of motherhood—one that starts with you. For more on mindfulness, check out my What is Mindfulness post.

✨ Want to learn more about nervous system regulation? My Nervous System Reset Course gives you the exact tools to calm stress, release tension, and feel at home in your body—no matter how chaotic life gets. Click here to learn more. ✨

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