The Monkey That Went Viral Taught Us About Regulation.
By now, you've seen the story in the news, on your feed, the heartbreaking story of a baby macaque in Ichikawa City Zoo, Japan, who was abandoned by his mother at birth. The Zoo staff raised him with the help of a stuffed orange orangutan.
As the world watched something extraordinary happen. Punch did not collapse into chaos. He did not remain in distress. He reached.
For a stuffed toy.
What looked like instinct was regulation.
What looked like attachment was anchoring.
Millions of people witnessed the nervous system doing exactly what it was designed to do.
When connection ruptures, the body seeks steadiness.
When safety is interrupted, we reach for something that feels grounding. Not because we are fragile. Because we are wired for regulation.
The stuffed toy was not magic. It was a substitute anchor. A tactile point of safety that allowed his body to downshift from panic toward stabilization.
That is not sentiment. It is neurobiology.
What Is Anchoring, Really?
Anchoring is the act of stabilizing the nervous system through connection to something that signals safety.
That “something” can be:
• A person
• A physical object
• A sensation
• A breath pattern
• A ritual
• A memory
When attachment ruptures, the stress response activates. Cortisol rises. Heart rate increases. The body prepares for threat. Without regulation, that stress state lingers.
Anchoring interrupts the spike.
The nervous system uses tangible cues to recalibrate. It returns to baseline through contact with something steady. Punch gripped the toy so his body would not stay in panic.
Humans do the same thing.
Some reach for alcohol.
Some reach for work.
Some reach for control.
Some reach for a phone.
Some reach for another person.
We are always anchoring. The only question is whether we are doing it consciously.
The Difference Between Instinct and Intention
What Punch demonstrated was unconscious anchoring. His system reached for the closest available stabilizer.
Most adults do the same, except we rarely pause long enough to see it.
This is where The ANCHOR™ Method enters the conversation.
The ANCHOR™ Method is a six pillar framework designed to regulate the nervous system and align behavior with personal sovereignty.
It stands for:
Awareness
Nervous System
Choice
Honor
Ownership
Remembrance
Awareness helps you recognize when you are dysregulated instead of reacting blindly.
Nervous System teaches you how regulation actually works in the body.
Choice interrupts autopilot coping.
Honor aligns behavior with your values.
Ownership returns power to you.
Remembrance reconnects you to the truth that you are inherently worthy and capable of stability.
In Punch's case what he did was a masterclass in my methodology, the ANCHOR Method, without a single word ever spoken.
Awareness. Something is wrong.
Nervous System. I need regulation.
Choice. I will hold this.
Honor. I will not abandon myself.
Ownership. My safety matters.
Remembrance. I was always worthy of comfort and love.
That baby did not know it was teaching the world a lesson, but it showed the whole internet something. Punch anchored because something steady was placed in his reach. The ANCHOR™ Method teaches you how to become that steadiness for yourself.
Why the World Is Suddenly Talking About Anchoring
We are living in a time of chronic overstimulation.
Information overload.
Relational instability.
Economic pressure.
Digital comparison.
The nervous system is under constant demand. So language is emerging to describe what we need.
“Grounding.”
“Regulating.”
“Anchoring.”
The buzz word is not the point. The biology is.
The world is not becoming more dramatic. It is becoming more aware of dysregulation.
Punch did not teach us something new. He revealed something ancient. The body will always reach for safety. The power comes when we learn to create it intentionally.
Anchoring Is Not Clinging
Anchoring is not dependency.
It is not weakness.
It is not avoidance.
It is the process of giving the nervous system somewhere to land so that we can act from clarity instead of panic.
When anchoring becomes intentional, identity shifts.
You stop reaching for chaos.
You stop outsourcing steadiness.
You stop abandoning yourself in moments of stress.
You become the lighthouse instead of the lifeboat.
Punch regulated because something tangible helped him stabilize.
Humans can do the same.
The difference is, we have the capacity to choose our anchors wisely. That is the work. That is the method. That is anchoring.
Written by Amanda O’Reilly, creator of The ANCHOR™ Method and founder of Worthy Wands.
Frequently Asked Questions About Anchoring
What is anchoring in psychology?
Anchoring is the process of connecting the nervous system to a stabilizing stimulus that signals safety, helping regulate emotional state and behavior.
What is The ANCHOR™ Method?
The ANCHOR™ Method is a six pillar framework created by Amanda O’Reilly that integrates nervous system regulation, conscious choice, and identity alignment to support lasting transformation.
Is anchoring the same as NLP anchoring?
No. NLP anchoring focuses on associating stimuli with peak emotional states. The ANCHOR™ Method focuses on nervous system stabilization, values alignment, and embodiment over time.
Why is anchoring becoming popular now?
As awareness of nervous system regulation grows, more people are recognizing the importance of grounding practices that stabilize emotional responses in a high stress world.
Where can I learn more about The ANCHOR™ Method?
The ANCHOR™ Method is explored in depth in Amanda O'Reilly’s book, You Are The Anchor, releasing May 26. The book expands on the six pillars, nervous system regulation, and the shift from survival identity to sovereignty.
Explore the full ANCHOR™ Method here.