Hey babe,
Ready for some serious healing? 🧠
We're gonna talk about emotional flashbacks… and how to not let them boss you around anymore.
Do you ever get like: WHAT TF IS THIS FEELING??
Ever just get hit with a wave of dread, shame, fear or sadness... and you have no idea why?
No trigger. No memory. Just BAM.
You're on the floor of your mind again, curled up like a kid who lost her favorite stuffed animal.
That's called an emotional flashback.
Not a movie scene flashback like in PTSD. No visuals. No soundtracks.
Just pure raw emotion.
Like your body remembers something your brain doesn't.
Because honestly?
It does.
What Even Is an Emotional Flashback?
An emotional flashback is when your nervous system says: "Hey, something feels like that time we got emotionally wrecked… let's relive that vibe!"
Except... You don’t remember the moment.
You just feel the same old pain.
⚡ You freeze.
🚪 You wanna run.
😡 You wanna fight.
😞 You wanna people-please.
And the hardest part? You think it’s you. Like:
"Why am I like this?"
"Why can't I get over it?"
"Why does the tiniest thing break me?"
Sweet soul, it's not weakness.
It’s your brain protecting you with the only tools it had when the hurt first happened.
CPTSD Is a Thousand Paper Cuts — Not One Big Knife
Unlike PTSD (which is often from one Big Scary Event), CPTSD comes from a million subtle betrayals.
Emotional neglect. Gaslighting. Being ignored. Being too responsible, too early.
No big explosion. Just... a slow burn.
So instead of remembering what happened, you just feel the emotional residue. And it comes back whenever something even vaguely reminds your system of that time.
Good News: You Can Shift It.
But not by bullying yourself.
Not by gaslighting your own pain.
Not by pretending you're fine.
You shift emotional flashbacks by becoming:
🤠 The badass captain of your own damn starship.
You check your cockpit. You notice the turbulence. You adjust course.
Not because you’re broken.
But because you’re learning to fly better.
Quickie Breakdown:
What to Do When You’re Spiraling
✨ Name It: "This is an emotional flashback."
✨ Don’t shame it: It’s not you.
It’s old you showing up for a hug.
✨ Shift your state
Check your FIFI (your emotional poodle!):
Focus: What are you thinking about?
Internal movie: What image is running in your mind?
Feel your body: What’s your posture? Breath?
Inner voice: Are you speaking gently to yourself?
Daily Check-In To Stay Flyin' Steady
🍎 Food check: Did you eat real stuff today?
🛌 Sleep check: Did you get your 8?
💊 Drug check: Booze, caffeine, weed — all can mess with your vibe.
🏃♀️ Movement check: Did you stretch, dance, walk?
💖 Connection check: Did you talk to someone kind?
🎺 Vibe check: Music, colors, lighting, journaling, aromatherapy?
This is self-care with a flight plan.
And When It Hits?
Do less, babe. Not more.
Don't send the text. Don't make the decision. Don't try to fix everything.
Just. Pause. Breathe.
Say: "This is not me. This is an emotional flashback."
You're not regressing. You're not broken. You're reactivating.
So give your nervous system what it needed then: Safety. Calm. Reassurance.
Last Thing:
If you're dealing with emotional flashbacks, it's because your brain tried to protect you the best way it could. And now you're ready to give yourself new tools.
That’s brave AF.
You’re not just surviving anymore. You’re learning to thrive.
And I’m proud of you. 🚀
🌱 Plant-Powered Meal of the Week:
Veggie Vegan Pho
As always, vegan and gluten free! Unlike traditional pho, this doesn’t require any lengthy prep and is always a delicious, easy meal if you have the ingredients around. I usually keep bok choy and rice noodles on hand. You can try other noodle varieties to see what suits your style best!
📝 Ingredients (for ~4 servings)
1 tbsp avocado or olive oil
1 large yellow onion, halved
4 dried shiitakes (~½ cup)
5 oz fresh ginger, sliced
4 cardamom pods
3 star anise
2 (3") cinnamon sticks
8 whole cloves
8 cups vegetable broth (gluten-free)
1 tbsp white or dark miso
2 tsp soy sauce or tamari
1 tbsp sugar (palm, rock, or regular)
1 lb rice noodles
1 lb fresh shiitake mushrooms (about 4 cups), sliced
2 heads baby bok choy, halved
1 block (14 oz) soft tofu, cubed
½ bunch cilantro, chopped
½ bunch Thai basil (about 2 cups)
¼ white onion, thinly sliced
½ cup scallion greens, sliced
4 oz bean sprouts
1 jalapeño, sliced
Lime wedges, extra soy sauce or tamari, vegan sriracha
⏰ Steps
1️⃣ Sauté onion, dried shiitakes, and ginger in oil (4–5 min).
2️⃣ Add cardamom, star anise, cinnamon, and cloves. Stir 1 min.
3️⃣ Pour in broth, miso, tamari, and sugar. Bring to a boil, then simmer 20 min.
4️⃣ Strain: Remove big pieces (onion, ginger, spices) so broth is smooth.
5️⃣ Cook rice noodles separately (~5 min).
6️⃣ Add fresh mushrooms to broth, simmer 2–3 min. Add bok choy, cook 1–2 min.
7️⃣ Serve noodles in bowls, top with broth, mushrooms, bok choy, tofu, and all the fresh toppings.
Paradigm Shift: Before You Caffeinate...
Before you hit that first sip of coffee… pause.
This is your reminder to drink at least 16 oz of water first.
Hydrate that gorgeous body of yours… she just slept for 6+ hours without a single drop! Bonus points if you add a scoop of greens or a squeeze of lemon juice to wake up your cells and give your body some extra energy.
Then move. Yes, before emails, before scrolling, before the to-do list.
Move that energy through you.
Walk. Dance. Stretch. Bike. Lift. Shake it off like you mean it.
Freestyle dance party? Always a yes.
Then?
Make your bed. Look yourself in the mirror and say:
“I choose myself, first.”
And if you want to get magnetic AF…
Breathe. Deep, slow, open-mouth breaths…
Ten of them. In and out.
Let that nervous system chill all the way out.
Let yourself shift from fight-or-flight to rest-and-receive.
Start your day like this and watch how everything aligns.
Your productivity, your clarity, your glow…
it all flows better when you start from you.
Now go slay. ☕💦🧘♀️
xoxo,
Groovy Girl 🦋