Why You Know What to Do… But Still Can’t Do It.

A somatic look at the real roots of “inconsistency” and why your body isn’t the problem

We live in a time where information is abundant. You already know what to eat.You know that rest matters.You know movement helps. You know the habits that would make your life feel fuller, calmer, more aligned.
So why — with all this knowing — does following through feel so hard?

Why do smart, capable, self-aware people get stuck in the loop of:
“I know what to do… but I can’t seem to do it?”

The answer is more compassionate — and more physiological — than most people realize.This isn’t a willpower issue. It isn’t a discipline issue. It isn’t a mindset issue.
This is a nervous system issue.

Your Body Moves at the Pace of Safety — Not Pressure

Your body is designed to keep you alive, not optimized. And when it senses overwhelm, depletion, or emotional strain, it quietly shifts into a state where:

• focus fades

• motivation collapses

• energy disappears

• and intentions feel too heavy to hold

Not because you’re “self-sabotaging” — but because your system doesn’t feel safe enough to expand.
In states of stress or survival, the body reduces access to the prefrontal cortex — the part responsible for planning, discipline, follow-through, and change. Instead, it routes energy toward protection. So even the gentlest step — a walk, a healthy meal, ten minutes of breathing — can feel impossible. Your body isn’t resisting growth. It’s resisting threat.

The Myth of Motivation

Most people think change comes from motivation. But in somatic work, we know the truth:

Motivation doesn’t create safety. Safety creates motivation.

A regulated nervous system naturally leans toward action:You cook nourishing meals because the body has energy. You move because the body feels open. You make better choices because the mind is clear. You follow through because your system has capacity.

Consistency isn’t about trying harder — it’s about giving the body the conditions it needs to move toward what it already wants.

“But I Want It — Why Isn’t That Enough?”

Because wanting is cognitive. Doing is physiological. Wanting happens in the mind. Doing happens in the body. And the body has its own rules:

• It acts when it feels supported.

• It expands when it feels rested.

• It tries new things when it feels nourished.

• It sustains habits when it feels safe.

This is why people can have the best intentions in the world and still feel stuck. Your longing is not the issue. Your biology is simply asking for stabilization before expansion.

The Nervous System Lens: Why Action Feels Hard

Here’s what the body interprets as unsafety (often without you realizing it):

• chronic stress

• lack of sleep

• emotional overwhelm

• nutrient depletion

• isolation or lack of co-regulation

• friction in relationships

• decision fatigue

• too many open tabs — physically or mentally

In these states, your body is not motivated to evolve — it’s motivated to endure.

So the question is never: “Why can’t I be consistent?”
But rather: “What is my body needing that I’m not attending to?”

Regulation First. Change Second.

This is the somatic sequence that actually works. Before pushing yourself into action, ask:

• Do I feel rested enough to try?

• Do I feel nourished enough to focus?

• Do I feel supported enough to start small?

• Does my body feel safe enough to experiment?

If the answer is no, then your work isn’t the habit — your work is the foundation beneath the habit.
The truth is:
Your body doesn’t need more force. It needs more attunement.

And once the nervous system softens, action becomes organic instead of effortful.

So Where Do You Begin? (The Somatic Pathway)

Here are simple but profound starting points that actually work:

1. One Cue of Safety a Day

A slow breath.
Warmth on your chest.
Grounding through the feet.
A moment of stillness.
A kind hand on your belly.

Micro-safety creates macro-capacity.

2. Nourish Before You Expect

A snack before a workout.
Water before a meeting.
Rest before a decision.

Your body performs differently when its basic needs are met.

3. Reduce the Emotional Load

Talk, journal, walk, cry, shake.
Release creates room for new behaviors.

4. Stop Trying to Change Everything at Once

Your nervous system responds beautifully to incremental shifts.
Start with one thing.
Let consistency come naturally.

5. Co-Regulation Over Willpower

Humans regulate through connection.
A voice you trust.
A circle that sees you.
A guide who knows the terrain of your nervous system.
This is what makes change sustainable.

Your Body Is Not the Obstacle. It’s the Way In.

The question
“Why do I know what to do, but I can’t seem to do it?”
isn’t a sign of failure — it’s a sign of fatigue, overwhelm, and unmet needs.

Your body is not the thing holding you back. It’s the thing trying to protect you until the conditions for change are safe. When you listen to its cues, support its rhythms, and nourish its capacity… discipline stops being something you force — and becomes something you feel ready for.
Your body isn’t the problem.
It’s the place to begin.

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Curious what 1:1 working with me looks like? Email me directly: info@noushasalimi.com

Nousha