Free Will, Nervous System Regulation & Saving Humanity #thematrix

Have you ever felt sure that you’re making your own choices, setting your own course—only to realize, later, that you were stuck on autopilot all along?

Imagine this:

You’re driving down a familiar road, one you’ve taken hundreds of times…

You’re thinking about your day, maybe replaying an old conversation or planning what’s next on the list…

Then, suddenly, you’re there, at your destination, with no memory of the journey.

You didn’t consciously steer yourself there—you just arrived. That’s autopilot.

And that’s often what our lives look like when our nervous system is stuck in survival mode.

We think we’re free, making real choices.

But when we’re tangled up in survival stress, trauma, and those well-worn reactions, our decisions are often more like automatic responses—default settings we’re not even aware of.

We’re not truly choosing. We’re not truly free.

We’re being driven by deeply wired survival instincts that kick in when we feel even the slightest hint of stress.

This isn’t a flaw. It’s a natural part of how our nervous system operates, especially when it’s dysregulated.

But here’s the cool part:

We can shift this!

True freedom—the ability to choose from a place of regulation—is only possible when we’re no longer being hijacked by those old, survival-based stress patterns.

And in this week’s video, I’m sharing a powerful clip from one of my all-time favourite movies, The Matrix, that digs a little deeper into this concept.

Being human means being able to choose, and choose wisely (and bravely)—even in the face of near impossible odds.

But free will like this works best outside the “programming” of trauma.

My husband and colleague, Seth, has seen this play out time and again with his clients and students. As he says in this article on Free Will and Consciousness:

“For folks with trauma, the possibility of choice begins with learning about survival physiology, so they can understand what is happening inside them and learn how to work with it. In doing so, they develop that inner observer and are able to make choices about how they respond.”

That’s why building a regulated nervous system is key.

When our nervous system is more regulated, we start to break free from those patterns and have space to respond with real intention—not just reactivity.

So, if you’re ready to see what it means to truly choose—rather than live on autopilot…

WATCH: ‘Free Will, Nervous System Regulation & Saving Humanity’ >>