“To live a long, healthy life, you need to stimulate the vagus nerve.” I nervously glanced around when Deepak Chopra said this because I had never heard about the vagus nerve until I started studying at the Chopra Center. I’m embarrassed to admit that I knew very little about my anatomy, and that is not how a Thought Snob behaves. I had to get my shit together because my number one goal is to feel good. If I feel good, everything falls into place. 

I created the Thought Snob method to help you feel better by teaching you how to approach life with mindful awareness and emotional intelligence. When those two things are present, you are a master of your thoughts, emotions, actions, and words, which trickles down to heavily impact your health. Why is this important? Because like attracts like. If you feel good 95% of the time, you’re a magnet for all things good. However, if you feel bad 95% of the time, you’re a magnet for all things bad. 

It’s that simple, yet so complex.

The vagus nerve is the most important part of the parasympathetic nervous system. It’s the longest cranial nerve in the body, connecting the brain to the organs. It’s often referred to as the ‘healing nerve’ because it regulates our involuntary functions, including our subconscious mind. Our memories, karmic imprints, and desires reside in our subconscious, shaping our interpretations of the world. Understanding the vagus nerve’s function deepens your self-awareness and enhances your ability to relax and heal.

Let’s face some truths here. Living in America is fast-paced. We’re conditioned from birth to push ourselves to the limit to achieve anything. If we rest, we’re lazy. Programming to associate rest with laziness is ridiculous and sets us up for self-sabotaging. Rest is the most productive thing we can do! The American way is to let the mind run the show, and that’s wrong. It’s the body that tells us everything we need to know. If we neglect our bodies, our bodies neglect us. Then what? 

I think you know the answer to that question. 

A fast-paced lifestyle often results in chronic stress. Daily stressors accumulate and eventually turn into chronic stress. If chronic stress isn’t interrupted, it is highly likely to manifest as inflammation in the body. Since inflammation is the root cause of nearly every disease known to man, you need to steer clear of inflammation. Each time you activate your vagus nerve, you turn off your sympathetic nervous system (i.e., fight-flight-freeze response) and turn on your parasympathetic nervous system (i.e., rest and digest response). Turning on your parasympathetic nervous system alleviates inflammation and activates your body’s innate healing powers. 

I invite you to watch an episode of Thought Snob Live!, my weekly show on TikTok that airs each Wednesday at 2 p.m. EST. A few weeks ago, I conducted a workshop about activating the vagus nerve. Watch this video and learn techniques you can use TODAY without spending one penny.