If you’ve ever had a moment where you know you should be happy—but you don’t feel it—you’re not alone.

You start questioning everything:

“Why can’t I just feel… something?”

You work hard.
You hit your goals.
You stay organized, stay on top of things, and handle what life throws at you like a pro.

You show up polished, productive, and composed—because that’s just who you are.

And finally, you get a break.

You run a luxurious bubble bath.
You light the fancy candle.
You sip matcha in the sun with your favorite book.
You even remember to text your best friend back.

You’re doing all the right things.

But still...
You don’t feel happy.
Not really.

Instead, you feel off. Detached. Like you’re going through the motions.

You catch yourself wondering:

“Why do I still feel kind of empty?”

“Maybe I just need a vacation…”

“I’ve been buying all this stuff lately—candles, skincare, new throw pillows—like maybe if I just make life cozier, I’ll feel something.”

But under all of it, there’s this quiet question:

“Why doesn’t any of it feel like enough?”

It’s Not Just You. It’s Functional Freeze.
What you might be experiencing is a state called functional freeze.

It’s a nervous system state where your body adapts to chronic stress by numbing out and shutting down—not in a dramatic way, but silently.

You’re still showing up.
Still doing the routines.
Still keeping it all together.

But inside?
You feel foggy. Flat. Emotionally muted.

What Functional Freeze Can Look Like:
You’re productive, but emotionally checked out

You rest, but never feel truly restored

You smile, but it feels like a performance

Your body has learned to protect you from stress… but in the process, it stopped letting you feel the good stuff too.

Even when joy is right in front of you, it can feel like it doesn’t land.
Not because you're broken.
But because your nervous system isn’t used to receiving it.

🎧 Want to Go Deeper? Listen to This Episode
I recorded a podcast episode that breaks this down even more:

🎧 Unlocking Happiness Through Nervous System Regulation
In this episode, I share:

Why joy can feel out of reach (even when your life looks “good”)

The nervous system science behind happiness

Tools to help you reconnect and feel again

Listen now on the Ready to Rise Podcast
(Or search for “Ready to Rise” wherever you listen to podcasts!)

Real Happiness Is Still Available to You
Not the kind you perform.
Not the kind you chase.
But the kind that lives in your body again.

This month, that’s what we’re focusing on:

Rebuilding your capacity for joy so happiness stops feeling like something you have to earn—and starts feeling like something you’re allowed to feel.

You don’t have to keep living in autopilot.
You deserve to feel joy that’s real.
Happiness is your birthright.

You’re allowed to feel good again.
And I’m so glad you’re here.

With love,
Audrey 💛
Somatic Life Coach & Registered Nurse