Are You Telling Me to Do Nothing With My Symptoms?

Click Here to Listen to this Podcast!

By Jenny Peterson

Today, we’re tackling one of the most common questions I get when people first hear about the work I do:

"If I’m not supposed to fear my symptoms, and my symptoms are actually part of my healing process, does that mean I’m supposed to do nothing?"

I totally get why this question comes up. For years, we’ve been conditioned to see symptoms as problems that need to be fixed — immediately and aggressively. So when someone like me tells you that your symptoms don’t need to be feared, it’s natural to wonder: What do I do with them then?

The answer to this question starts with one essential shift: understanding the difference between acute and chronic symptoms. Because real healing isn't about doing nothing — it's about taking empowered, aligned action that supports your body and creates lasting change.

Understanding Acute vs Chronic Symptoms

Let’s get some clarity on symptoms. They fall into two general categories: acute and chronic.

Acute symptoms:

• Short-lived and non-repeating

• Examples: a cold, a broken bone, a cut, or a mild fever

• These symptoms resolve with time or medical support

Chronic symptoms:

• Ongoing or recurring

• Examples: a rash that won’t go away, IBS, persistent pain, daily heart palpitations

• These are the types of symptoms I work with

My approach isn’t meant for acute conditions that require immediate medical care — like a broken bone or a heart attack. In those cases, of course, you need medical help. But chronic conditions? That’s where this healing work shines.

Acute Conditions

Let’s say you come down with a cold. You’ve got a stuffy nose and a cough. These symptoms aren’t signs that something is wrong with your body — they’re signs your body is healing from something it experienced and adapted to.

And here’s what might surprise you: you don’t need to “do” something to make the symptoms go away. Your body is already healing. The symptoms are just part of that natural healing process.

Now, this doesn’t mean you do nothing. But what you do is different from what most people are taught:

• You rest

• You hydrate/eat

• You get some sun

• You avoid fear-based thinking

If you use remedies, they’re to ease discomfort — not to suppress your body’s signals.

Does that sound like doing nothing? Not at all. It’s just a different, more aligned kind of action.

I used to be the person who lined my counter with supplements and homeopathics every time I got sick. But now, as a rebellious healer, I’ve learned to trust my body. I keep it simple. I rest. I hydrate. I get sun. I stay out of fear. And my body recovers more quickly and easily than it ever did with all the products I used to rely on.

Chronic Symptoms

Now let’s talk about chronic conditions — and this is where many people get confused.

Some hear me say that symptoms mean healing, so they assume they should just let them be. But that’s not the case when it comes to chronic symptoms.

Chronic conditions don’t go away because something is blocking the healing process. Your body doesn’t feel safe enough to complete it. That’s the difference.

These symptoms usually aren’t life-threatening, so fear still isn’t necessary — but they do signal that inner work is needed.

Here’s the big distinction:

• Acute symptoms = body is already healing → support it

• Chronic symptoms = healing is blocked → time to do the subconscious work

So no — you’re not doing “nothing” here either. You’re just doing the right work, which means addressing the deeper beliefs, patterns, and subconscious programs that are keeping your body in a holding pattern.

Reflective Questions 

Let’s bring this into your own experience. Take a moment and ask yourself:

1. Was your most recent symptom acute or chronic?

• If it was acute, your body was probably doing what it’s supposed to — healing.

• If it was chronic, your body may be signaling that something deeper needs your attention.

2. Do you see your symptoms as enemies or messengers?

• If you see them as enemies, you’ll be stuck in a cycle of fear and frustration.

• If you view them as messengers, you’ll recognize they are here to guide you to the inner work.

The way you answer these questions says everything about how you approach your healing.

Final Thoughts: Trust, Don’t Fight

Here’s the bottom line:

• With acute conditions, you don’t need to fight your symptoms — you need to support them.

• With chronic conditions, the work is to identify what’s blocking the healing and go inward.

This isn’t “doing nothing.” It’s doing something completely different — something that works.

Ready to Rewire What’s Blocking Your Healing?

If you’re tired of chasing symptoms and you’re ready to shift your inner world so your body can finally heal, check out my 8-week ALIGNED program.

It’s designed to give you:

• Daily structure for subconscious rewiring

• Coaching support to address your exact patterns

• A clear plan so you’re no longer spinning your wheels

If chronic symptoms are running your life and you’re ready to take aligned action — not just more guessing — ALIGNED is for you.

👉 Click here to join or learn more about ALIGNED

 Let your healing begin where it always should have — from within.

---

Jenny Peterson is a Chronic Illness Expert and the Founder of MBR (Mind Body Rewire). She helps those struggling with multiple chronic symptoms reclaim their health and freedom—without diets, detoxes, or pills.

For 10 years, Jenny worked as a holistic practitioner, relying on supplements, diet, and detox protocols to support healing. But when she faced her own chronic health struggles, those methods failed her.

Determined to find a real solution, she turned to mind-body healing. Using the very techniques she now teaches, Jenny fully resolved Lyme disease, digestive issues, panic attacks, skin conditions, cystitis, and more. Her own transformation ignited a mission: to help others break free from chronic symptoms and take back control of their health.

Ready to say good-bye to symptoms and hello to freedom?  START HERE