I’ve been thinking about how easily overwhelm distorts our sense of perspective.
Almost like a pair of goggles we didn’t realise we were wearing.
When they’re on, everything feels closer, louder, more tangled than it really is.
When we’re in that state, clarity shrinks. Possibility narrows. We can’t see the wood for the trees. It feels as though life is pressing in from every direction. Our emotions rise, our breathing gets shallow, and the mind starts spinning stories that make everything feel urgent.
But here’s the truth I keep returning to. Overwhelm isn’t a sign of failure. It’s a signal. A quiet invitation pointing us back to our own well-being, our groundedness and our presence.
I’ve noticed this in myself. When everything feels “too much,” my instinct used to be to push harder, think faster, get through it. But that never brought relief. It only amplified the noise I was experiencing.
What helped, and what still does, is slowing down long enough to actually feel my own experience again. A gentle breath. A moment to settle into the body. A small pause to ask: What’s really here? What’s actually needed?
It’s remarkable how quickly things begin to shift. The fog thins bit by bit. You find your mind softening. You start to see what is truly present rather than what your stress was projecting.
In those moments, your aliveness returns. You get a quiet certainty about what matters. And a subtle readiness for whatever life is asking of you
And in the opposite state... none of that is available. When overwhelm runs the show, we lose contact with the very parts of ourselves that know how to move forward with wisdom and impact.
So if you’re carrying a lot right now - perhaps more than you’d ever admit out loud, then try this. Slow down for a moment. Feel your feet on the floor. Bring a compassionate breath to whatever is happening inside.
You may be surprised by what becomes clear when the goggles loosen and the fog clears.
Photo by Borja Verbena on Unsplash