The Grinch & the Vagus Nerve Connection

This episode delves into how the Grinch's behaviors stem from disconnection and isolation, exploring the impact of supporting the vagus nerve for social engagement and emotional well-being. We discuss practical exercises that can help foster joy and connection in our own lives.

- Examining the Grinch's isolation and its effects on his vagus nerve
- Understanding the importance of social engagement for emotional well-being
- Discussing the role of pets in enhancing connection and reducing stress
- Analyzing the Grinch's anger and reactive behaviors
- Connecting the Whoville community’s practices to wellness
- Highlighting the transformation of the Grinch through self-care and joy
- Suggesting actionable vagus nerve exercises like singing and gratitude
- Reflecting on the deeper lessons from the Grinch’s story

Go grab my free vagus nerve reset video in the show notes. It's a quick and easy way to start feeling better today.

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:00

Welcome to. It Starts at Vegas, the podcast where holistic health meets modern living. I'm Emily, your guide to unlocking the power of the vagus nerve, which is your body's ultimate key to calm, connection and overall well-being. Together, we'll explore simple ways to nourish your mind and body with natural remedies, actionable tips and empowering stories. Whether you're here to reduce stress, restore balance or take charge of your health, you're in the right place, because wellness doesn't just happen. It starts at Vegas. Let's dive in.

Speaker 1: 0:35

Merry Christmas Eve, or is it Happy Christmas Eve, but I'm pretty sure it's Merry Christmas Eve. Let's talk about how the Grinch stole Christmas. That movie is a staple for me. It was when I was growing up and it still is. And now I can't help but wonder if all the Grinch needed was a good old vagus nerve reset and support. It's going to follow me with this. Let's evaluate it.

Speaker 1: 1:02

First, the Grinch was isolated and didn't like any noise. Second, he wasn't social, so that social engagement wasn't there. And three, he was really prone to anger. So let's unfold this. Let's see if this is all. The Grinch really, really needed to support how he felt throughout day to day. So, first of all, the Grinch's isolation really needed to support how he felt throughout day to day. So first of all, the Grinch's isolation and dislike of noise. So early in the movie the Grinch was kind of shown as being grumpy and kind of by himself, kind of like a little hermit. He just didn't like to be around people, even though there were people the Whoville that loved Christmas, they had singing and celebrations like they went all out. But he chose to live far away from them on that mountain with his dog Max.

Speaker 1: 1:58

So his chronic isolation most likely started when his vagus nerve wasn't calmed down and his social engagement wasn't priority. He's just like nope, my brain says I'm not so sure about this, I don't like it, so let's just step back and be by ourselves. So the vagus nerve was just like not so much, even though when the vagus nerve is socially engaged it wants to connect with people, it likes those social times. But he didn't have any of that, he didn't have any of the practice of day-to-day, he just kept all by himself. So likely if you would have taken a few moments and done that vagus nerve reset, that little exercise Again, if you want to do this by yourself, it's in the show notes. Just go ahead and click on it and it'll email to you.

Speaker 1: 2:52

But if he would have taken that moment and he could have even like hummed along with the who's and it would have calmed his nervous system and instead he just fed it, he kept feeding that anxiety, he kept complaining and grumping and he just fed the cycle of his desire to be away from people, which brings us into the second part, his lack of social engagement, the social engagement piece with a vagus nerve. It's like a key point of saying the vagus nerve is settled, it's calm, it's working correctly. That's how you know that your body's not stuck in that fight or flight response no-transcript. That's usually when everything in your body is saying okay, we're fine, we're calm, relaxed, everything is doing great, there's no fear of survival, so go ahead, just enjoy life. But his response, his default to stress, was to hide, to take it away. He didn't have the desire to be around people, which made it even harder for him to say yes, I can. Because once you start taking away that social engagement, it's not practicing anymore and now it's harder to connect and that's why it becomes easier and easier to just tuck yourself in a blanket and hide away from the world, because it takes that much more energy to engage it. So often when we have poor, vagal tone, that can make it harder for us to feel safe in social situations, that's where we like to kind of hide and step back, which kind of leads to more avoidance and more distrust.

Speaker 1: 4:54

And if the Grinch had, you know, tried doing some vagal nerve exercises like deep breathing or even, let's just talk about like Max Okay, so he had his dog Max, right, but he didn't really like enjoy Max, like Max was there and he was with him, but he didn't, you know, he didn't really play with Max. And at the end you can see that, because at the end Max is all happy and they're working together. Versus, you know, beginning and middle of the movie, max is kind of like an employee. So the relationship even changes, even through the movie. And so had the Grinch taken, you know, even more eye contact with Max, that might have softened his heart and been more okay with the Whoville, the Whos, maybe a little earlier. Maybe they would have had just a calmer feeling. Because you know, when you get after a while, when things build up and build up and build up, the littlest things just like set you off because that pressure is so high and if he would have taken time to be with Max, that might have lowered it down. So he might have, you know, enjoyed the distance of the Whoville City. Because, let's be honest, he had a really nice view of the Whoville City. I'm sure it was beautiful, it was all decorated with lights and decorations and I'm sure he just it was probably stunning.

Speaker 1: 6:24

But he never took that time to enjoy it. He never paused in the moment. He just looked at all the grumpy things which led to his reactivity and anger, and the grand he was set off by when the who sang and he got. He wanted to fix the problem. He did want to fix the problem and his solution to the problem was to steal Christmas to silence them. That was his whole solution.

Speaker 1: 6:53

It wasn't that he hated Christmas. He didn't like the busyness, the buzziness, the noise, noise, noise. He just wanted it quiet. And it's probably because he was so on edge that he knew that when it was quiet that's when he could calm down. But that fight or flight mode got him to think kind of illogically he's like I'm going to steal Christmas because that'll save the problem, like that'll be the solution. And I mean obviously it wasn't. At the end he realizes it wasn't about all the noise and all the gifts. He tried to steal Christmas because in his mind, in his fight or flight response, he was thinking oh, I'll just steal Christmas by stealing all their presents. All their presents will keep them from being happy.

Speaker 1: 7:44

And meanwhile the who's are singing and, as we've talked about before, singing helps your vagus nerve have a great tone and then it works properly and you feel better, you feel happier, you want to be with other people and our episode of we talked about Christmas traditions. Every Christmas the Whovilles would get together again, that social engagement, and they would hold hands, which is that physical touch, which is a community that we belong, and they would sing. And all of those things add up to feeling belonged, to having your vagus nerve relaxed and toned and working properly, working calmly. So now the emotions can settle down, your thoughts start being clearer and you just become overall happier. And we see that by the end of the movie.

Speaker 1: 8:42

We see the Grinch. All of a sudden he does feel happy, everything changes in his world and it just makes me think, like what? I mean, obviously it's a cartoon, but what would happen if the Grinch would have just taken time to do some deep breathing and taken time to just enjoy the little things, be grateful for what he has. You know, if he wanted to start singing with the who's, all those little things just add up and it just makes me wonder like what could happen. Obviously it's a cartoon, it's a great movie.

Speaker 1: 9:16

The movie would be lost if it was done the quote unquote right way. But it makes us be able to apply that to our lives, saying am I a Grinch right now? Do I feel Grinchy? Do I need time to just stop, breathe, just sit in the moment and realize what's important? And so that's what I hope we take away from the Grinch, and I know that it's a lot like the main focus of the Grinch is. You know, it's not about presence, but we can also learn from the Grinch that self-care can go a long way too.

Speaker 1: 9:50

Here's some things that if the Grinch would have come to me and asked what can I do? Here are some things that if the Grinch would have come to me and asked what can I do, here are some things that I would have suggested for him to calm his vagus nerve down. One, the humming or singing. You know, singing with the who's would have directly stimulated his vagus nerve and help bring him joy, which is kind of the start where he starts feeling that warmth and joy in him and he starts feeling that it's more than just presence and so that again singing or humming that really helps. The second one is paying attention to his pet and we kind of talked about spending more time with Max could have improved his vagal tone through connection and touch and just a relationship between the two. And then, third practice, gratitude, listing the things that he liked. Maybe he liked living up in his cave he did have a beautiful view. Maybe that would have changed his nervous system from being in a fight or flight to engaging his parasympathetic nervous system, which is like the calm down, we're not in danger. So all in all, that's probably what I would have told him.

Speaker 1: 11:03

I would have said just enjoy the little moments. And it sounds so easy and sounds so simple, and sometimes it sounds a little like basic or overused, but the reason that is it's because they work. So we keep going to our default on what works. So all in all, the Grinch's story is a great example of how isolation and stress can disconnect us, but with some little intentional doings to help that vagus nerve calm down. We can find joy and connection with others. So have a Merry Christmas everyone. Go get some rest and enjoy your friends and family. Thanks for listening to it Starts at Vegas. If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe so you don't miss what's coming next. And if you're ready to take the next step toward calm, grab my free vegas nerve reset video in the show notes. It's quick and easy way to start feeling better today. And until next time, remember, wellness starts at vegas.