Stampede is a lot.

It’s joy, noise, motion, late nights, loud crowds, fried food, and a thousand tiny moments pulling your attention outward.

And then, it stops.

You wake up a little foggy. Your sleep’s off. Your anxiety hums louder than usual. And maybe, beneath it all, there’s a quiet voice whispering that you should feel better by now.

Let’s be clear: you’re not doing anything wrong.

You’re just adjusting after a high-intensity stretch. That kind of shift can stir up a lot.

Mood changes, nervous system whiplash, even a little shame or self-doubt.

This blog isn’t here to tell you to bounce back.
It’s here to help you return to yourself; gently, honestly, and without shame.

Here are five ways to do just that:

1. Notice the Shame. Then Get Curious.

After a big social stretch, it’s normal for the mind to spiral:

• “I should’ve done more.”
• “I shouldn't have done that.”
• “I need to get my life back on track — now.”

Shame thrives on urgency and judgment.
Curiosity, on the other hand, makes space.
Try asking:

• What did I enjoy?
• What do I need today?
• How can I respond to myself with care, not criticism?

This is a core skill in Peer Support: holding space without fixing. Try doing that for yourself, too.

2. Rebuild Your Sleep Like You’d Rebuild Trust

Not with control or pressure, but with consistency and small signals of safety.

If your sleep’s been off, try one or two of these:

• Go to bed at the same time for three nights in a row (or whatever, just try your best to be consistent)
• Dim the lights an hour before bed
• Put your phone on airplane mode and leave it across the room
• Journal one sentence before sleep: “Right now, I’m grateful for…”

Sleep is where your body does its repair work. It deserves care, not punishment.

3. Feed Yourself Something Real (No Redemption Arc Required)

You don’t need to atone for mini donuts with a green juice cleanse.

Start simple:

• Eat something you consider to be healthy, or at least healthier
• Add one grounding element to your plate (protein, warm veggies, something with texture)
• Sit down while you eat — even if it’s just for five minutes

Regular meals help stabilize mood, focus, and energy. This is regulation, not restriction.

4. Move With Kindness

Forget “getting back on track.” Forget the idea of movement as punishment. This is about checking in with your body and listening to it.

Try:

• A short walk with no destination
• Stretching while your coffee brews
• Dancing to one song that makes you feel like yourself (if your blisters can take it)
• Lying on the floor and breathing into your belly for 3 minutes

Movement isabout connecting to your body.

5. Don’t Go Quiet, Reach Out

You don’t need a crisis to ask for connection.

Whether it’s a friend, a partner, a Peer Support worker, or a journal, let someone (or something) in.

Send a text. Leave a voice note. Share a meme. Or just say, “Hey, I don’t feel like myself today.”

It doesn’t have to be deep to be real.
You don’t have to process everything alone.

Bonus Tip:

Ease back into a schedule or routine you know works for you. Not what should work, but what actually feels good in your body.

This could include what's above, or fit inbetween and outside.

Start small, go slow.

Final Thoughts

Post-Stampede feelings are valid, especially the weird ones.

You can have fun and feel scattered. You can love the energy and crave quiet. You can be grateful for the experience and still need a soft place to land.

That’s not weakness. That’s awareness and awareness is the first step back to connection.

So if you’re feeling a little off, this is your invitation to return to your rhythms, your needs, your breath.

What's your go-to reset? Let me know. And if this landed with you, share it with someone who might need a reminder, too.

Until next time,
I’m Jeff — and take care of yourself, however that looks to you.