The butterflies in the stomach

 "I can't tell you what it is,

but it's the best thing I've found
The butterflies in my stomach

and my feet off the ground..."

Dave Barnes

Isn't it funny  how you can still

get butterflies in your stomach,

even though you have known

the person for years...

You know the feeling, that “fluttery” or “tickling” sense you get in your stomach? You feel your digestion shut down, your heart and breathing rate goes up as well as your blood pressure. You feel a huge fluctuation of cortisol, adrenaline and other hormones in your system.

Physiologically speaking, it’s your body’s fight or flight response to a sense of love, excitement or even nervousness. No one really swallows butterflies whole. There is an elevation in sympathetic activity in the autonomic nervous system. Physically you’re aroused because you perceive a potential threat or challenging situation and your brain increases that level of arousal to meet the challenge.

It kicks in whenever you run into or see that person you like and frankly it’s normal to feel nervous. We even tend to do or blurt out stupid things in the process and that’s still okay, it’s something we can look back on one day. So, be nervous and take in that butterfly experience, sometimes we all need it every once in awhile to remind us what’s worth living for.