20 Years in the Military — And I Didn’t Know My Nervous System Was Broken (Ft Patrick Nardulli)

Why is it that we train people to survive under pressure… but never teach them how to come home to themselves?After 20 years serving as a Navy Hospital Corpsman alongside Marines in some of the most demanding environments imaginable, Patrick Nardulli realized something profound: toughness wasn’t the same as resilience.In this episode, Patrick shares his journey from combat medicine to nervous system regulation — including the moment a heart rate variability monitor revealed he was “thriving” on the outside but dysregulated beneath the surface.We explore:The difference between heart rate and heart rate variabilityWhy high performers often live in chronic sympathetic overdriveHow breath becomes the bridge between mind and bodyThe role of coherence in leadership and relationshipsPractical tools to regulate your nervous system in real timeShow Partners:Get your MENTAL FITNESS BLUEPRINT here! A special thanks to our mental fitness + sweat partner Sip SaunasPersonal Socrates: Better Question, Better LifeConnect with Marc: https://konect.to/marcchampagneTimestamps:02:00 — A guided coherence exercise to settle the nervous system05:00 — Growing up in Chicago and the call to serve07:00 — Combat deployments and the culture of toughness11:00 — The moment he saw resilience breaking in others14:00 — The HRV wake-up call: “I thought the device was broken”18:00 — Why experiential learning beats PowerPoints22:00 — Breath as the bridge between mind and body29:00 — Heart rate vs. heart rate variability explained31:00 — What coherence actually means34:00 — Why most people never intentionally exhale37:00 — Preparation, performance, recovery framework40:00 — When his wife felt his nervous system shift42:00 — Walking into the moonlight: a realignment moment45:00 — Simple practices anyone can start today46:00 — Final message: self-care is not selfish*Special props 👇Music: Clouds - Joakim KarudSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.