Stress Fuel: The Counterfeit Engine

Metaphorical Narrative

The dash is redlined while you’re parked.
A clear IV drips URGENT into the engine. The car moves fast standing still.
You cut the IV, expecting a stall—nothing. The engine purrs. You had power the whole time.

Core Insight

The controller trains the body to mistake urgency for energy.
Switching fuels doesn’t mean stopping; it means choosing what powers movement: clarity, not threat.

• “We choose clarity-fuel.”
• Short resets interrupt poison without losing momentum.

Saturday Experiment

1. 90-Second Reset: Sit, unclench jaw, exhale long. Whisper: “We are not powered by stress.” Resume.
2. Choice Cue: Before any push, state a clean why: “We do this to finish X, not to silence fear.”
3. Exit When Clean: If the why turns into tribute, pause and re-choose or Bin 98.

Sunday Reflection

• Where did they confuse speed with threat?
• What changed in posture/breath when they switched fuels?
• Which task actually needed less time once the poison was gone?