Overwhelm & anxiety: how to find your ground again

Do you ever have those times when you just can’t think straight because there’s so much noise inside your head?

Life feels like it’s moving at 100kph, everything feels urgent, and you have no idea how to slow it down.

And maybe you don’t even believe you can slow it down, because it all feels too important.

Of course you do. Because you’re human. And being human can feel like… a lot!

We’re surrounded by advice and memes telling us to “slow down,” “find balance,” or “just breathe.” And yet, when you’re in the middle of it, those words can feel impossible to apply. It’s one thing to know you should slow down, it’s another thing to know how to actually do it when life is loud and relentless. And that’s often the point where anxiety creeps in — the racing thoughts, the pressure in your chest, the sense that you just can’t keep up.

As I write this, I’m right in the middle of one of those seasons myself. We’re packing up our house to move out in a week. The day after, we go on holiday. We land back in the country and the very next day move three hours north into our new home.

There are moments where it feels completely overwhelming, what I call a “parts party.” That’s when so many different parts of you are trying to run the show at once, you’re not sure if you’re coming or going.

For me, it looks something like this:

•     A part panicking that we’ll forget something important.

•     A part trying to plan and control every detail.

•     A part that just wants to throw its hands up and say, “I can’t do this.”

•     A part that is sad for leaving friends.

•     A part that is excited for future adventures

And sometimes, woven through all of that, there’s a part that feels anxious….tight in the body, restless, trying to prepare me for everything that could go wrong.

And this is where the struggle often gets louder. So often our instinct is to push these feelings away. To ignore, distract, or run from them. Yet the emotions our parts are holding don’t disappear when we do that. In fact, they usually get louder until we listen.

Acknowledging them, accepting them, and allowing them to be there is what helps them soften. It doesn’t mean you like what you’re feeling — it just means you’re willing to listen. And when your parts feel seen and heard, the emotions they’re carrying can finally move through.

Underneath all of that noise though, I also notice I’m generally okay. Not because life is calm (it’s anything but), simply because I’ve learned to sit with these parts instead of letting them take over.

Here’s what I’ve found…..when you hear yourself saying “I don’t have time to slow down”, that’s exactly when you need to slow down.

Even five minutes to sit with yourself.

Even a pause to acknowledge, “Yes, this feels like too much right now.”

Even a breath to reconnect with that calm, courageous Self, the you underneath the noise that can hold space for it all.

And this isn’t something you save for the hard times. It’s a practice. Daily moments of turning inward - whether it’s five minutes here, fifteen minutes there. These small habits build the muscle of Self-leadership, so when life does get loud, you have somewhere steady to return to.

So whether you’re in the middle of overwhelm and anxiety right now, or life feels relatively calm, this is the perfect time to start. Because the more you build these habits when things are steady, the easier it is to lean on them when everything feels like too much.

A gentle invitation to explore:

•     Take five minutes today, not to fix or achieve anything, but simply to sit with yourself.

•     Notice what emotions are there. What stories are running through your mind.

•     Remember — that’s not all of you, that’s a part of you.

•     There may be many different emotions, stories, and parts showing up. That’s ok. Simply notice and acknowledge them.

•     Try using the phrase: “A part of me is feeling…” and see what emerges.

The more curious you can be, the more awareness you’ll gain. And with awareness comes the space to return to that grounded sense of Self, even when life feels noisy, overwhelming, or anxious.