From Stuck to Flow: Nervous System Reset for Entrepreneurs in the Functional Freeze State

If you’re an entrepreneur who feels stuck, overwhelmed, or frozen when facing tasks—you’re not alone. Often referred to as the “Functional Freeze State”, many entrepreneurs and small business owners find themselves here with no idea how to “unfreeze”.

This 5-step nervous system guide offers practical tools rooted in somatic practices, with just a touch of mindset work. These aren't productivity hacks. These are nervous system strategies designed to help you move out of freeze into steady momentum in your life and business.

Whether it’s showing up consistently online, creating content, or launching your next offer, this guide helps you reconnect with your body so you can market your business from a grounded, aligned place, without burnout or overwhelm.

DOWNLOAD THE FULL GUIDE HERE

Step 1: Understanding the Functional Freeze Response

The functional freeze response is often misunderstood. It’s not laziness or lack of discipline—it’s a biological response. It occurs when the nervous system becomes overwhelmed and activates both the sympathetic (fight/flight) and parasympathetic (rest) branches at the same time, leaving you stuck in high alert, but unable to act.

This isn’t a character flaw. It’s a sign your system is protecting you the best way it knows how.

Signs of Functional Freeze:

• Waking up with anxiety/a sense of dread

• Bedtime rumination about tomorrow’s to-do list

• Avoiding your inbox or client messages

• Feeling blank when trying to create content or make decisions

• Constantly switching tasks but not finishing anything 

• Being physically still but mentally overloaded

• Not showing up to promote your business

Step 2: Somatic Tools to Shift State

Somatic practices help you come back into your body, grounding you in the present and gently shifting your state. They give your nervous system a signal that it’s safe to move forward.

Try these 3 simple practices:

• Short walk or rhythmic movement: Intentional movement is especially powerful because it helps prove to your nervous system that you’re not actually stuck. Even a short walk or following these rhythmic movements can help restore a sense of flow.

• Chest or sternum rubbing: Using circular motions, gently rub the center of your chest for 30-60 seconds. It helps calm your vagus nerve.

• Cool compress: Hold a cool compress to your neck or chest to help soothe your system. For a stronger effect, splash cold water on your face to activate the mammalian dive reflex.

Create a list of your go-to tools and keep them visible. Use them not as a fix, but as a gentle signal to your body that it’s safe to come back online.

Step 3: Let Your Body Choose Your Next Step

The fastest way to get unstuck is not by pushing harder—it’s by tuning in.

When you’re in the freeze state, trying to push yourself through your to-do list can backfire because your nervous system may interpret pressure as danger, keeping you stuck.

Instead, ask yourself:

• What feels accessible right now?

• What would feel good, or even neutral, to do? (even if it’s not top priority)

Joy and accessibility aren’t distractions. They’re entry points. They create momentum and gently re-engage your system.

This might look like:

• Making a graphic instead of writing a pitch

• Editing something old instead of starting something new

• Tidying your desk instead of tackling your inbox

Try an Embodiment Practice:

This exercise helps your body guide your next step.

1. Make a list of your current to-dos—big or small, urgent or optional.

2. Sit with the list and take a few breaths.

3. Read each task one by one. As you do, pause and notice what happens in your body.
   Does it feel tight or heavy? Is there a sense of ease or curiosity? Or is there neutrality? 

4. Highlight or circle the ones that feel most accessible or inviting. That’s your starting point.

You’re not avoiding the rest—you’re building capacity. Let your body lead.

Bonus: After completing a task, take a moment to notice how that felt in your body. This builds even more trust and momentum.

Step 4: Reframing Mindset Without Bypassing the Body

Mindset work can be helpful—but only if it respects your current state. Telling yourself to "just get it done" or “be grateful you get to do xyz” rarely works in a freeze state. Here are gentler ways to shift:

• Acknowledge without arguing: "I notice I feel stuck. That makes sense."

• Offer choice: "I get to choose when and how I go about this."

• Introduce possibility: "What if slow progress is still progress—and what if that’s good enough for now?"

Then, notice how your system responds. Is there a softening? A bit of resistance? Curiosity? You don’t need to force anything, just observe. Awareness alone can begin to shift things.

These reframes aim to reduce pressure, which is key. Your nervous system can only shift when it feels safe.

Step 5: Build Your Rhythm: A Flow-First Business Practice

The freeze response often results from over-scheduling, over-expecting, or building plans that don't match your energy level. Instead, try creating a rhythm that respects your nervous system.

• Plan from capacity, not urgency. Ask, “What fits my bandwidth today?", “Is this something I actually need to do, or am I just avoiding stillness?”

• Use time blocking with buffers. Include time to recover– schedule it on the calendar!

• Create rituals that regulate. Start and end the day with 30 seconds of grounding
  (focus on your feet on the ground. Notice the texture and temperature of the floor. Notice physical sensations in your body).

Running a Business from a Regulated State

Following these nervous system and mindset strategies can make huge impacts on your business! At Mudra, we’re big fans of marketing from an energetic place, and that starts with these strategies. 

When you build your work, around you, and not the other way around, you can grow from a place of sustainable momentum and not survival. Be sure to try these easy tools and let us know how you feel after!

This guide was created in collaboration with Aeryn O’Halloran, a certified Mind/Body Practitioner and educator who specializes in nervous system regulation and holistic recovery from chronic illness. You can learn more and visit her site here.