Written by Dr. Suzanne Tang

September 22nd, 2025

I had originally planned to write about my unexpected home remodel — which started with an undiagnosed slab leak — as a way to segue into a lengthy blog on root causes of PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome), one of the most common conditions of hormone imbalance in reproductive-aged women.

But after attending a church service at Unity of Tustin this Sunday, I set that draft aside. If you’re eager to learn more about PCOS, don’t worry — it will make an appearance in a future newsletter.

This month, I felt called to write about something many of our Inspire Natural Wellness members (and I myself) have been feeling: the collective fear, worry, and uncertainty about the state of our world.

Finding Peace in a Time of Fear

Like many of you, I found myself going down the rabbit hole of watching my stressful Instagram news feed, listening to activating news podcasts, then looking up more anxiety-provoking news articles on Google. Before I knew it, my mind, heart, and body were hijacked by the negativity, fear, and toxicity of the news cycle, and I felt literally “hungover” from my news fix while the anxiety and fear amplified.

I knew that I had to return to the very thing that brings me peace in the midst of stress and turmoil, my spiritual practice, which I thought was fairly intact, but I hadn’t been attending church for the past month, with moving Chloe back into college, dealing with a surprise slab leak, home remodel, and traveling. I was raised Roman Catholic and went to Catholic middle school and high school, so the ritual of attending weekly church services is deeply ingrained in me. I decided to return to Unity of Tustin this weekend after attending another church for the past year, and this was no accident. The message was exactly what I needed to receive.

The Message at Unity of Tustin

The spiritual minister began with a peaceful, heartfelt meditation and then shared these truths:

No matter how different our values and beliefs are and what political party we identify with, every single life is precious, and we are made in God’s light and love.
Don’t expect others to change or try to change them — be the change.
Choose love instead of fear, scarcity, division, or hatred.
Release expectations and instead embrace abundant expectancy.
Practice three minutes of HeartMath meditation daily, and you will be led by peace and love rather than anxiety and separateness. (Keep reading for details on how to do this meditation.)

During the service, my heart was open and my body relaxed into this blissful peace and hope, and as I walked through the beautiful gardens after the service, I felt anchored in this truth that we are One.

How Fear Affects the Nervous System

Fear, worry, and stress shift our nervous system into the sympathetic state, also known as fight, flight, freeze, or fawn. It’s our brain’s survival mechanism to keep us alive. We are no longer running from a sabertooth tiger, thank goodness, but we are bombarded by chronic stress from social media, the news, and facing numerous challenges such as health concerns, work, finances, raising a family, or caretaking elderly family members, and death of loved ones.

Part of our survival mechanism is also to identify with a tribe since it provides a level of protection, safety, and resources. Get kicked out of the tribe, and you are on your own, likely about to be eaten by the sabertooth tiger. For some, whether you are in a tribe or exiled, the general belief system becomes part of our identity, and we lose sight of who we truly are, which is love and light.

Reclaiming Calm: Internal Family Systems

Internal Family Systems theory teaches that we all have many “parts” trying to manage, protect, or defend us. When those parts continually override our higher Self, the result can be fear, worry, anxiety, unhealthy habits, and disconnection.

The first step is gratitude: thank these parts for protecting you, then reassure them that your higher Self can take the lead. This opens the door to calm, clarity, and healing.

Stress and Your Health

Stress impacts every system in our bodies, from our nervous system and gut to our hormones and heart and metabolism, to the unhealthy choices and habits we oftentimes use to placate, soothe, or numb the stress, which creates even more dis-ease. The good news is with awareness and willingness to change, you have the power to create greater health, peace, purpose, and calm in your life by shifting your nervous system into the parasympathetic state, also known as “rest, relax, and digest”.

A Miracle Morning Practice to Be the Change

Inspirational author and speaker, Hal Elrod’s best-selling book, “The Miracle Morning” is about creating a simple morning practice that can literally transform your life. I encourage you to read his book and do the 30-day challenge. Invite friends to join you in this challenge and hold one another accountable.

Carve out 60 minutes every morning on your Miracle Morning SAVERS practice, which is an acronym for:

Silence

Start your day with meditation, prayer, or breathwork. I love using my Calm meditation app and meditating in bed before I start my day, which has solidified this cherished and positive habit. Meditation has been shown to rewire our brains towards positivity, creativity, and calm.

I am also inspired to change up my routine and practice HeartMath or heart coherence meditation. Think of resilience as your inner battery. When our inner battery is charged, we feel better and have more energy, and we make better decisions. One of the easiest ways to build resilience is with a daily 3-minute heart coherence meditation.

Heart coherence is a physiological high-performance state that has been extensively studied by HeartMath for more than two decades. When we’re in this coherence state, our heart, mind, and emotions are in balance, so we function better on many levels.

👉 Try it free on InsightTimer: 3 Minutes of Heart-Focused Breathing

Affirmations

Write down an affirmation that you would like to focus on for the month. Last year, when I was in the midst of my multiple and stressful practice transitions and moves, learning new electronic medical software systems, attending growth and business mindset coaching, launching our programs and membership services, and moving into my new clinic with one month’s notice, my affirmation was, “I am calm, cool, collected, capable, and competent.”

Visualization

Write down your goals and see them in your mind’s eye as already actualized. Your brain doesn’t know the difference between reality and imagination. See yourself at the finish line, starting a new, fulfilling job or volunteer opportunity, or feeling calm, energized, and vibrant. What you focus on grows.

Exercise

Move your body daily, even if you only have time for a 10-minute stretch or a 20-minute walk. We all know the cardiovascular, musculoskeletal, and metabolic benefits of movement, but did you know that exercise reduces the risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease by 28% and that moderate to high-impact exercise is just as effective as an antidepressant for moderate depression?

Reading

Read a short passage or chapter daily to inspire you, cultivate more awareness, and develop new brain cells. I am currently reading “The Book of Awakening,” by Mark Nepo, a daily guide to awakening and living life with mindfulness, courage, and gratitude.

Scribing (Journaling)

Journaling helps release the jumble of thoughts and connect with your higher Self. Some of my favorite guides include:

The Gratitude Journal for Women by Katherine Furman and Katie Vernon
Get Untamed Journal by Glennon Doyle
The Bible in 52 Weeks by Kimberly D. Moore

Notice how these practices begin to shift your emotions, thoughts, relationships, and overall life.

Support from Inspire Natural Wellness

Self-care is non-negotiable, and sometimes that means receiving care as well as giving it to yourself. At Inspire Natural Wellness, we offer numerous services to reset and calm the nervous system, release tension and stress, and connect to your higher Self. Give our office a call to schedule your appointment.

Acupuncture: stimulates specific points on the body, promoting balance, pain relief, stress reduction, and overall health. Enhances the flow of energy (Qi) and supports the release of natural painkillers like endorphins. Helps with various conditions such as pain, stress, hormonal imbalances, and digestive issues.
Biomeridian Scanning with Jill Brew: a non-invasive, holistic tool that identifies imbalances in the body, such as nutritional deficiencies, hormonal issues, environmental sensitivities, and more. By uncovering areas of stress or dysfunction, this comprehensive health analysis helps guide personalized plans to support overall wellness and balance.
Cupping: uses gentle, flame-warmed suction cups to draw out stagnation, release toxins, and boost circulation. This ancient healing practice helps ease pain and inflammation while increasing blood flow to the back, neck, shoulders, and extremities. By restoring healthy circulation to muscles, tendons, and joints, cupping supports relief from tension, arthritis, and chronic discomfort — leaving the body feeling lighter, looser, and more energized.
Craniosacral Therapy (CST) with Dr. Tang or Dr. Quan: a gentle, hands-on technique that releases tension, calms the nervous system, and restores balance in the body. By supporting your natural healing processes, CST can ease headaches, neck and back pain, stress, fatigue, and more — leaving you deeply relaxed, refreshed, and renewed.
Medical Massage Therapy & Lymphatic Drainage with Hannah Haus: takes a personalized, holistic approach to healing by addressing the root causes of pain and postural imbalances. Using techniques such as myofascial release, Craniosacral Therapy, Swedish, Deep Tissue, and Oncology massage, each session is tailored to meet your body’s unique needs. This therapeutic work not only relieves pain and tension but also promotes deep relaxation while restoring emotional and spiritual balance. Every treatment begins with a thoughtful intake and assessment, ensuring your care is customized for maximum benefit. Optional enhancements, like aromatherapy or soothing hot stones, can further elevate the experience — leaving you feeling restored, aligned, and at ease.

📢 Reminder: Give a Review Raffle — leave us a review for a chance to win a complimentary acupuncture treatment with Dr. Tang. Drawing is September 30th!

Be the Change You Wish to See

We’d love to hear how you are transforming your mindset and health this month. Remember: peace starts within, and you have the power to shift from fear to love.

Yours in Wellness,
Dr. Suzanne Tang + The Inspire Natural Wellness Team

Upcoming Events

Recipe Corner

Wind down your evening with this quick and refreshing tart cherry juice mocktail. With only three ingredients and five minutes, it’s the perfect bedtime sip for better sleep. 🍒

Be the Change You Wish to See in the World: Rewire Your Nervous System from Fear and Survival to Love and Peace