How a solo mum went from stuck in survival mode to calm
“My energy is more consistent, my body feels lighter, and a sense of calm and safety has become my baseline.”
Being a solo parent is a constant juggle - work, childcare, and everyday life can leave you drained and tense, with little time to focus on yourself. This is the story of how Anna used Kaya to finally feel grounded in her body and calm in her day-to-day life.
I am a solo mum to a young son, and my days are a mix of parenting, work, movement, and creating a calm, nourishing life for us. We spend a lot of time outdoors hiking, exploring, and discovering the world.
I’ve had a very challenging and traumatic few years, but I’m grateful to now be in a season of rebuilding strength, safety, and joy from the inside out. The birth of my son was the catalyst for a deep awakening within me. I realised my life had become misaligned with my true path, and I no longer had a clear sense of who I was.
I stepped away from my career, my relationship, and the life I had known, into the unknown - with the feeling of relief. I trusted that intuition, and it led me back to my birthplace of New Zealand. Since then, I’ve been travelling and rediscovering this incredible country through the ancient trees and the sea. Through this land and the intention I’ve put in to healing, I’ve found myself again and now choose alignment over expectations.
Before Kaya, I was about 18 months into my healing journey. I had already made significant progress through somatic work, including Hips Like Honey, and worked with a somatic counsellor who taught me how to feel emotions in my body, which was a foreign concept to me then. My awareness of myself and my body had grown considerably, and I had developed a strong meditation practice and connection to self.
Yet despite all of this, there was still a disconnect. In challenging times my nervous system continued to swing between highs and lows. I held a lot of fear and I could also feel that my body was holding onto deep layers of stored stress, which I realised was a form of protection. No amount of effort or intense exercise was shifting it, in fact it was only growing.
It became clear that regulation had to be my priority. Around that time Kaya was released and it has completely shifted my life.
I realised I didn’t want to keep living in a body that felt stuck in survival mode and always bracing for the worst. I could physically see how much stress my body had carried over the years and I wanted to help it release that load.
I needed my body to know that the protection it had built was no longer required. I felt inflamed, puffy, exhausted, and unrecognisable to myself, and I knew there was some deeper work there to be done.
My days now begin in calm - morning sunlight and present connection with my son. I always roll out my yoga mat for some form of movement, allowing my body to guide what it needs.
I move in ways that feel supportive rather than punishing. My energy is more consistent, my body feels lighter, and a sense of calm and safety has become my baseline. There is a growing trust and understanding between me and my body that didn’t exist before.
This work has changed how I show up everywhere. I’m more patient, I sleep better, and I can find calm even in the face of challenges. I feel more grounded in my decisions and more confident in my own timing.
With my body and nervous system more regulated, everything else seems to fall into place with more ease. I know it’s an ongoing journey with always something new to learn, which is why I love following along with the journeys on Kaya - they seem to appear right when I need that next layer!
You don’t need to push harder - you need to feel safer. True healing doesn’t come from forcing change, but from creating enough safety for your body to finally let go.
Kaya felt like a natural progression on my healing journey. It carried me through a period of deep integration..giving me tools, understanding, and a new connection to my body. Through this work, layers of my past self have fallen away, and I feel more like me than ever before.
That reconnection has even led me to connect to my passion and begin developing a business aligned with who I truly am. I believe this clarity and confidence are a direct result of my path with Kaya.. my alignment has deepened, and my true self is shining more clearly. Life is so good ☺️
