The Vagus Path to Saying No

ebook Nervous System Practices for Reclaiming Your Voice

By Lyra Wendell

cover image of The Vagus Path to Saying No

Sign up to save your library

With an OverDrive account, you can save your favorite libraries for at-a-glance information about availability. Find out more about OverDrive accounts.

   Not today

Find this title in Libby, the library reading app by OverDrive.

Download Libby on the App Store Download Libby on Google Play

Search for a digital library with this title

Title found at these libraries:

Library Name Distance
Loading...

In a world that rewards self-sacrifice and punishes boundaries, learning to say "no" can feel terrifying. For many, the word carries guilt, fear, or memories of rejection. But what if the ability to say no wasn't about becoming tougher—but about becoming more connected to your body, breath, and internal sense of safety?

This book offers a healing alternative to willpower-based boundary advice. The Vagus Path to Saying No explores how your nervous system holds the key to emotional resilience, vocal empowerment, and grounded self-expression. Through a trauma-aware lens, this book helps you rediscover your capacity to honor your needs, speak up with calm authority, and build boundaries that feel natural—not forced.

At the heart of this approach is the vagus nerve—a vital communication pathway between your brain and body. When you feel unsafe, unheard, or overwhelmed, your vagus nerve responds. That's why breathwork, posture, tone, and grounding aren't just wellness trends—they're tools for reclaiming your voice at the physiological level.

Inside, you'll learn to:

  • Understand the polyvagal theory and how it affects people-pleasing, fawning, and emotional collapse
  • Work with somatic cues and physical sensations to detect when your boundaries are being crossed
  • Use breath-based, voice-activation, and grounding techniques to soothe your system before responding
  • Practice clear, kind communication—even when fear or guilt arise
  • Rebuild trust with your body and voice after long periods of silence or overgiving
  • Create daily rituals for boundary maintenance, emotional clarity, and nervous system care
  • This is not a quick-fix communication manual. It's a nervous system guidebook for those who have lost their sense of self in others' expectations—and are ready to slowly, gently come home again.

    Whether you've struggled to say no in work, family, or romantic relationships, this book gives you language, insight, and embodiment practices rooted in both neuroscience and compassion. You'll learn to recognize the early signals of burnout, soothe the fight-or-flight response in real time, and repair when boundaries slip.

    Ideal for those who identify as highly sensitive, anxious, over-responsible, or deeply empathetic—this book is written in a warm, accessible tone. It's especially supportive for women ages 25–45 who have spent years accommodating others while feeling disconnected from their own voice.

    If you've ever said yes when every part of you wanted to say no, this is your invitation to pause, reconnect, and begin again. Your voice has always been there—it's simply waiting for you to listen.

    Perfect for readers who enjoy:
    Set Boundaries, Find Peace, The Body Keeps the Score, Polyvagal Exercises for Safety and Connection, or The Wisdom of Your Body.

    The Vagus Path to Saying No