In the middle of editing this troll lesson for next week and I was just hit by a wave of calm just gazing upon this super cute little face.
And many of you will know that over the years I`ve made many a innocent little creature and I`ve talked before how creating innocent, sweet characters have a direct calming effect on my nervous system. I don`t mean it metaphorically but biologically. My shoulders drop. My breathing slows. I feel a calm settling in.
Apparently; there’s science behind this: soft, friendly faces trigger oxytocin and parasympathetic responses linked to safety and bonding, while stress hormones drop. ✨🙌✨
But there’s something else too.
These characters don’t want anything. They’re not impressive, persuasive, ironic, or self-serving. They feel like little support characters whose only message is: "I’m here, with you, just sitting, being present for/ with you." ♥️
I think innocence signals something rare in adult life; presence without extraction, without needing something from you. And my body seems to trust that instantly.
I keep making characters like this because they *regulate* me as much as anyone else.
Leaving this here as a quiet reminder that gentleness has a real nervous-system impact.