Tenderoni Hotline 25: Paradoxical Nervous System Reactions + ADHD in Mindfulness

Tenderoni Hotline 25: Have you ever found yourself laughing when you’re actually scared, suddenly exhausted in the middle of anxiety, or walking away from a moment thinking you’re “fine” only to realize hours later that you were anything but? In this Tenderoni Hotline episode, we’re diving into those paradoxical nervous system moments, the ones that feel confusing, mistimed, or just plain off, and unpacking what’s really happening beneath the surface.

Because here’s what I need you to know. You’re not broken, dramatic, or bad at emotions. You’re adaptive as hell. Your nervous system is running deeply intelligent, well-practiced protective patterns shaped by your lived experiences, your conditioning, and the environments you’ve had to navigate. And sometimes, those patterns show up as laughter instead of fear, shutdown instead of anxiety, or total emotional fuzz when you most want clarity.

In this episode, I’m answering rich, layered questions from my clients inside Anchored and the Somatic Studio, giving you a real, behind-the-scenes taste of what it looks like to live this work, not just intellectualize it. We explore why your nervous system can hold multiple states at once, why emotional awareness often comes after the moment instead of during it, and how your brain and body prioritize survival over neat, tidy self-understanding in real time. We also get into practical, body-based ways to gently build your capacity to notice, name, and work with your emotions as they arise, without judgment, without force, and without trying to override your system.

And for my ADHD loves or anyone who’s ever been told they’re “doing mindfulness wrong” because they can’t sit still, we’re lovingly dismantling that nonsense too. Stillness is not the gold standard for presence. Movement, fidgeting, doodling, pacing, these can be the very things that create presence in a neurodivergent body. You’re not failing the practice. You’ve just been handed a framework that was never built for you.

This episode is both a deep exhale and a powerful reframe. It is an invitation to get curious about your patterns instead of criticizing them, and to remember that your reactions are not random, they’re rooted in protection. And if there’s a part of you that’s been wanting support but also holding back, questioning whether you deserve it or whether now is the time, consider this your gentle nudge to feel into what it might be like to be held inside this work, to have your questions answered, and to not do this alone.

So take this with you on your walk, while you’re doing the dishes, or while you’re moving your body in whatever way helps you feel most here, because you get to learn, grow, and come home to yourself in ways that actually honor your nervous system.

Got a question for the Tenderoni Hotline? Send it to me at: podcast@beatrizalbina.com

Learn more about my courses and apply here: https://www.beatrizalbina.com/courses

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