You know you are meant for more, but you keep getting stuck in the same frustrating cycle!
I see you.
I’ve been there.
And I’ve got you!
I’m Elyssa Smith, a trauma-informed executive coach and the host of Unlock Your Blocks Podcast. I know what it’s like to feel overwhelmed by triggers, stuck in survival-mode, and cycles of self-sabotage.
The great news is that you can overcome all of this! I know firsthand how to follow the roadmap to freedom. You can rewire your survival brain, heal the trauma holding you back, and unlock the next level of success and confidence!
On Unlock Your Blocks, I’ll teach you the exact tools and strategies to break free from self-doubt, regulate emotions, and finally be able to follow through with your biggest goals!
Subscribe now! Let’s get you the right keys to unlock your blocks and create the life you were made for!
When Everything Feels Urgent: How to Get Out of Emergency Mode
Does everything on your list feel urgent, even when you know logically that it isn’t?
You look at your inbox, your calendar, your responsibilities, or your never-ending to-do list, and suddenly your nervous system reacts like every single thing needs to happen right now. Instead of helping you get more done, that pressure can leave you anxious, overwhelmed, exhausted, or completely shut down.
In this episode, Elyssa breaks down why urgency can become a learned nervous system response, how high achievers can unintentionally train themselves to operate in emergency mode, and why feeling urgent doesn’t necessarily mean something is actually urgent.
You’ll also learn Elyssa’s “urgency filter,” a simple step-by-step exercise for separating real consequences from perceived pressure, choosing a calmer next step, and teaching your nervous system that slowing down does not automatically create danger.
✅ What You'll Learn
✔️ Why everything can start to feel like an emergency when your nervous system is under stress✔️ How to recognize when you’re operating from urgency instead of actual priority✔️ Why high achievers can learn to associate productivity and speed with safety or worth✔️ How pressure and unpredictability can keep your body in a constant state of hypervigilance✔️ Why emergency mode can eventually lead to overwhelm and shutdown✔️ How to use Elyssa’s “urgency filter” to evaluate what truly needs your attention✔️ Why asking “What if I wait ten minutes?” can help separate real urgency from nervous system discomfort✔️ How to distinguish an actual consequence from a perceived consequence✔️ How to choose the calmest reasonable next step instead of reacting from pressure✔️ Why deliberately delaying a false-urgency task can help retrain your nervous system✔️ How slowing down can help you protect your energy without sacrificing productivity
🕒 Episode Chapters
00:12 Introduction to urgency and nervous system response01:43 Recognizing when you're in emergency mode05:12 How learned urgency affects mental health07:36 Introducing the urgency filter exercise09:17 Step 2: What if I wait ten minutes?10:09 Assessing real consequences versus perceived urgency11:08 Finding the calmest next step12:07 Deliberately delaying false urgency items13:25 The benefits of slowing down and resetting14:21 Free nervous system exercises for stress management
💬 Free Resource for Women
✨ The Procrastination Reset
Simple nervous system exercises to help you reduce overwhelm, step out of emergency mode, and feel more present, calm, and in control when everything starts to feel urgent.
👉 https://elyssasmith.com/reset
💖 For Women Ready for Their Next Breakthrough
Book your FREE 15-minute Unlock Your Blocks Focus Call to uncover what may be keeping you stuck in stress or survival mode and get clarity on your next step.
👉 https://elyssasmith.com/focus
12 Oct 2026
How to Recover After a Trigger Without Losing the Rest of Your Day
Have you ever had one email, text, or conversation completely hijack your day?
You know logically that something small happened, but your body reacts like something much bigger is wrong. You replay the conversation, worry about what the other person is thinking, struggle to focus, and suddenly everything else feels impossible to get back to.
In this episode, Elyssa breaks down why emotional triggers can create such a powerful nervous system response, how childhood experiences can shape what your body interprets as unsafe, and why trying to immediately fix the situation can actually keep you stuck in the activation.
You’ll also learn a simple four-step process for returning to the present moment, regulating your body, and choosing your next action from a grounded place instead of reacting from survival mode.
✅ What You'll Learn
✔️ Why a seemingly small interaction can trigger a much bigger emotional response✔️ How your nervous system connects present-day situations with past experiences✔️ Why childhood experiences can shape the triggers you experience as an adult✔️ How people-pleasing and self-abandonment can become automatic coping strategies✔️ Why rumination, overthinking, and urgently trying to “fix” things can keep you activated✔️ How to recognize when your nervous system has moved into survival mode✔️ The four steps Elyssa uses to reset after an emotional trigger✔️ How to locate activation physically in your body✔️ How the 5-4-3-2-1 grounding exercise brings you back into the present moment✔️ Why delaying a response until you feel regulated can lead to better decisions✔️ How to use the 3 S’s — safety, self-nurturing, and support — to help yourself feel grounded again
🕒 Episode Chapters
00:12 Introduction to managing emotional triggers02:50 Childhood experiences shaping adult triggers05:16 Unhelpful coping mechanisms and consequences06:11 The importance of recognizing activation07:06 Four steps to reset your nervous system08:13 Locating physical activation in the body09:01 Orienting to the present moment10:00 Choosing a safe next action10:54 Using the 3 S's for grounding11:47 Additional resources and closing remarks
💬 Free Resource for Women
✨ The Procrastination Reset
Five simple nervous system techniques to help you move out of fight, flight, freeze, or fawn, come back to a grounded place, and move forward with more clarity.
👉 https://elyssasmith.com/reset
💖 For Women Ready for Their Next Breakthrough
Book your FREE 15-minute Unlock Your Blocks Focus Call to uncover what may be keeping you stuck in survival mode and get clarity on your next step.
👉 https://elyssasmith.com/focus
5 Oct 2026
Why Constant Task-Switching Leaves You Exhausted
Do you ever end a day feeling completely exhausted, even though none of the individual things you did felt that difficult?
Emails. Messages. Open tabs. Quick questions. Tiny decisions. A dozen different things that somehow leave you feeling more drained than spending hours focused on one big project.
In this episode, Elyssa breaks down why context switching takes so much more energy than we realize and why constantly moving between small tasks can leave high achievers feeling like they worked all day without actually accomplishing anything.
You’ll also learn two practical ways to reduce that drain: Elyssa’s sticky note method for keeping your brain focused on one priority at a time, and a simple 60-second transition technique that helps your nervous system close one task before moving into the next.
If you’re constantly busy but still ending the day depleted, overwhelmed, or wondering why your capacity feels so low, this episode will help you reduce the mental load without needing to do less.
✅ What You'll Learn
✔️ Why a day filled with small tasks can feel more exhausting than one big project✔️ What happens in your brain and nervous system every time you switch tasks✔️ Why interruptions create more mental effort than the task itself✔️ How the sticky note method can help you manage distractions and see your progress✔️ Why seeing what you’ve completed can reduce overwhelm and mental depletion✔️ Why exhaustion is often caused by the effort of transitioning, not the difficulty of your work✔️ The four-step 60-second transition technique for switching tasks more smoothly✔️ How to mentally and physically close the loop on your previous task✔️ Why a quick body reset can help your nervous system move into the next task✔️ How narrowing your focus to one job at a time reduces your total mental load✔️ Why regulating stress throughout your workday matters for your energy and long-term health
🕒 Episode Chapters
00:11 – Understanding Context Switching Drain01:00 – The Impact of Small Tasks on Productivity01:12 – The challenge of task switching and mental effort03:18 – The sticky note method for managing distractions05:47 – Understanding that exhaustion comes from effort, not task difficulty06:36 – The 60-second transition technique for smooth task switching07:01 – Closing the previous task loop and body reset07:56 – The importance of a body reset and naming the next task08:50 – Focusing solely on the current task to reduce mental load09:19 – Living in a regulated state to prevent energy drain09:48 – The long-term health impact of managing stress and distractions10:14 – Introducing the Procrastination Reset guide for stress management
💬 Free Resource for Women
✨ The Procrastination Reset
Simple, practical nervous system tools to help you move out of overwhelm, stress, and survival mode and get back to a calmer, more focused place.
👉 https://elyssasmith.com/reset
💖 For Women Ready for Their Next Breakthrough
Book your FREE 15-minute Unlock Your Blocks Focus Call to uncover what’s keeping you stuck and overwhelmed, and get a clear, gentle plan for your next step.
👉 https://elyssasmith.com/focus
Inside a recent episode
From $38K in Debt to $30M in Business
Published 9 Feb 2026 · Transcript excerpt
[…] That's so interesting isn't it and I think a lot of people listening are going to be able to relate to this because our nervous systems stay feeling safe with what they what it what knows you know and so if you if you're just nervous system knows that dysregulation or working harder being more doing more you know being better if that's where the safety has come from if the productivity and showing that you're checking off the list is where the value your own self worth has come from then to back off on that to enjoy your life feels really wrong. So what did you when did you when you realized that what was that like for you how long did it take you to catch it and how did you move through that because that's not what I see you doing now. […]
Pod Engine is an independent podcast discovery and analytics service and is not affiliated with or endorsed by this podcast. Artwork and show content belong to their owners. Full legal notice.
Explore this show Podcast research with Pod Engine
