What Happens When We Don’t Try to Fix Anything

Recently, I had two quiet, powerful moments with people I care deeply about.

One was with someone experiencing ongoing physical pain.
The other was with someone caught in the grip of panic and anxiety.

In both moments, we did something very simple.

We didn’t try to fix anything.

We didn’t analyze, solve, or push the experience away. We didn’t hunt for insight or search for a cause. Instead, we sat. We listened. We noticed what was present in the body.

We became curious about sensations — their shape, texture, temperature. We noticed images as they arose. We let the body tell its story in its own language.

And something subtle — yet profound — happened.

For the woman with anxiety, it stopped being such a big deal. Her body softened. Melted, really — like jello, in the best way. Even her mind relaxed.

For the woman with pain, the body found its own way toward resolution. The story shifted. The way her body had been holding the pain changed completely.

Nothing was forced.
Nothing was overridden.

Just presence.

We live in a culture that reflexively tries to fix discomfort. If something hurts, we want to eliminate it. If anxiety shows up, we manage it. If emotions feel big, we try to regulate them away.

But the body doesn’t respond best to force.
It responds to attention.

Listening is not passive. It’s participatory. When we offer kind, curious attention to what’s happening inside us, biology changes. Nervous systems soften. Patterns loosen. What was stuck begins to move.

One of the women shared afterward:

“In Jill Walton, I have found unparalleled patience and compassion… I have experienced real physical and emotional healing through her.”

I share this not to convince you of anything — but to leave you with a question:

What might your body want to show you if you didn’t try to change it?
What if listening — not fixing — was enough?