You Do Not Have To Carry Stress Alone

If you’re the person everyone depends on, you probably know the moment when “I can handle it” quietly turns into “I can’t breathe.” We’re closing our nervous system regulation series with the most uncomfortable and most powerful tool of all: asking for help.

We talk about the lie so many capable people carry that you should be able to fix everything on your own, and why that mindset confuses independence with isolation. I share my honest relationship with therapy, how I’ve processed hard parts of my story over time, and the question that keeps echoing for me: if we hire a trainer for physical health, why would emotional health deserve less support? We also explore what it looks like to build a real wellness team and a practical stress management plan, from professionals like therapists, dietitians, psychologists, and health coaches to everyday tools like breathwork, grounding, walking, and turning down stimulation.

Finally, we touch on the gut brain axis and why gut health and mood are so closely linked, including how a daily probiotic can be one piece of the puzzle (without replacing professional care). The goal isn’t a perfect routine. It’s a nervous system toolbox you can actually use when life gets loud.

If this helped you, subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a friend who needs a steadier exhale today. What’s one kind of help you want to get better at asking for?

Transcript

Welcome To Spandex And Wine

SPEAKER_00 0:00

Hello and welcome to the Spandex and Wine Podcast. I'm your host, Robin Hackney, and I'm so happy that you're here. This podcast is a place for conversations about balancing a healthy lifestyle and being happy. More specifically, happy hour. Together we'll explore all things wellness and wine. I hope you learn a little, laugh a lot, and along the way, know you're not alone on this balanced wellness journey. Ready to jump in? Pour something in your glass that makes you happy because it's time for Spandex and Wine.

Series Wrap And The Big Shift

SPEAKER_01 0:34

Welcome back to the Spandex and Wine Podcast. Today we're going to wrap up our series on regulating the nervous system. I know we took a break last week, but hopping back in, wrapping all of it up. And over the past several weeks, we've talked about understanding your nervous system and using breath to calm your body, grounding yourself through your senses, and just creating more quiet by reducing stimulation. And today I want to talk about something that might feel a little uncomfortable, and that is asking for help. I know that is huge for me. And I think one of the biggest lies we tell ourselves is that we should be able to figure everything out on our own. I know I do it too. We are strong women and men. I know there are men that listen to this too. We're capable, and we are the ones that everyone else depends on. We can handle it until we can't. And somewhere along the way, we've confused independence with isolation. They're not the same thing. I've shared before that I had childhood trauma, and like many people, I've worked through parts of it over the years, and some of it through faith, some of it through conversations with people I trust, and some of it simply just with time and perspective. And here's something I want to be completely honest about. I've never been to therapy, not because I don't believe in it. And actually, it's the opposite. I believe therapy is one of the healthiest

Independence Versus Isolation

SPEAKER_01 1:57

decisions many people will ever make. I just simply haven't walked that road myself yet. But just because I haven't personally experienced something doesn't mean I can't recognize its value. In fact, one sentence that's been rolling around in my head lately, I have spent my career telling people it's okay to ask a trainer for help with their fitness. Why would emotional health deserve any less support than physical health? That question has changed the way I think about asking for help.

Building A Wellness Support Team

SPEAKER_01 2:30

Over the last year, I've realized something else. I have built my own wellness team. When my body wasn't working the way it should, I didn't accept it. I did kind of kick my feet a little bit. And I think I was just more like, well, I guess this is what getting older feels like. You know, I was started thinking that way, and I'm like, no, I did. I sought help. I worked with my chiropractor, I worked with a public floor physical therapist, I asked questions, I sought out supplements that supported me, and I followed the guidance that I was getting. And today I feel more like myself again. And it reminded me that sometimes strength looks like raising your hand and saying, I need someone who knows more than I do. And that doesn't just apply to physical health. Maybe for you, that person is a therapist. It could be a holistic doctor, it could be a psychiatrist or psychologist, it could be a registered dietitian, a health coach. The point isn't who you ask, the point is that you don't have to carry everything alone.

Gut Brain Axis And Daily Tools

SPEAKER_01 3:36

I also want to mention one thing that's become part of my toolbox. You guys have heard me talk about Plexus over this past year. And one product that I will never be without and that has made a huge difference for me is Vitobiome. And I originally started taking it because I knew that it would support my mental health, but I was focusing on gut health. And I didn't realize how much calmer I was going to feel. And I want to be clear, I'm not saying that a probiotic replaces therapy or medication or professional care or help. It doesn't. But for me, it's become one piece of the puzzle. There is fascinating research happening around what's called the gut brain axis, the constant communication between our digestive system and our brain. Scientists are learning more about how our gut health may influence our mood, our stress, our emotional well-being. And vital biome contains a probiotic strain that has been studied for their role in supporting mood and helping reduce feelings of stress. And I can honestly tell a huge difference when I forget to take it for several days. So I make sure that is in my daily routine. And it doesn't make life perfect. I still have stressful days and I still get overwhelmed, but I feel calmer, I feel more level-headed, more confident that I can respond to life's challenges instead of simply reacting to them. That's my experience, and it's become a tool in my toolbox.

Your Nervous System Toolbox Plan

SPEAKER_01 5:06

And maybe that's the biggest takeaway from this entire series that we've been doing. There isn't one magic answer. Regulating your nervous system isn't about finding the perfect breathing exercise or the perfect supplement or the perfect therapist. It's about building your own toolbox. Some days you'll use your breath, some days you'll go for a walk. Some days you'll turn your phone off. Some days you'll call a friend. Some days you'll schedule an appointment with a professional. And some days you'll focus on nourishing your body from the inside out. The healthiest people I know aren't the ones who never need help. They're the ones who know when to use the right tool at the right time. So as we wrap up this series, my hope isn't that you remember every single tip that I've shared. My hope is that you become a little more aware of your own body, a little kinder to yourself, and a little quicker to recognize that asking for help isn't weakness, it is wisdom.

Share The Series And Stay Connected

SPEAKER_01 6:05

So thank you all so much for spending the last several weeks with me. I hope you've been reminded that your nervous system isn't something you have to fight against, that it is something you need to care for. And I hope that you will share this one or the entire series with a friend. If you don't know how to share an episode, please reach out to me and I'd be happy to explain how that's done. You can reach me at infospandexandwine.com or you can text me at 913-392-2877. All right, you guys. Until next time, take care of your body, take care of your mind. If you have questions, if I can be that support person for you and your health coach, I would love to do that or get you with the right supplements that will support what you are trying to accomplish. So I will see you next time. Thank you.

SPEAKER_00 7:00

Thank you for listening. If you're enjoying this podcast, be sure to follow Spandex and Wine so you don't miss an episode. To do this, just go to the podcast and click subscribe or follow wherever you are listening. Look for the plus sign or follow button. This is one of the best things that you can do for the podcast. If you'd also be willing to give a five-star review, that would be amazing and much appreciated. Lastly, please share an episode with a friend or five to keep the love going. And join the Spandex and Wine community in our private Facebook group by searching Spandex and Wine. Feel free to reach out to me at any time by emailing info at spandexnwine.com or text me at 913 392 2877. I appreciate you. Thank you.