Managing Overwhelm: Finding Your Footing When Everything Feels Like Too Much

It's that time of year again—the season when our calendars explode with holiday events, year-end deadlines, family obligations, and, if you have kiddos in your life, the pressure to make everything feel magical. Add in the everyday demands of work, relationships, and trying to keep all the plates spinning, and suddenly you feel paralyzed—unable to think, make decisions, or even figure out which way is up. 

Sound familiar?

Here's what I know about overwhelm: It's not actually about having too much to do and it’s different than just being stressed. It’s about losing connection to the present moment and getting stuck on that spinning wheel of everything all at once. It creeps up on us over time and it’s “fine” until it’s not.

Managing Overwhelm Starts With Understanding the Trap

When we're overwhelmed, our minds race ahead to all the things we need to do, all the ways we might fail, all the people we might disappoint. We're simultaneously replaying what we didn't finish yesterday while also creating stories about the chaos that could come tomorrow if [insert x, y, z]. We're everywhere except where we actually are—the here and now of the present moment.

And that's exhausting.

In the barn, you learn that horses can sense when you're out of sorts. If you arrive hurried, frustrated, and anxious thinking about the ten other things you need to do, the horse will feel it. Your energy is funky, your cues are unclear, and their trust in your partnership can break down. The way forward is to come back to this moment, this breath, this stride.

The same applies in life and leadership.

Getting Back to Now

When you feel the twinge of overwhelm start to creep in (or hopefully well before!), use these proven strategies myself and my clients use to find our footing:

1. Do a free-writing brain dump. Grab your notebook and pen, and write down everything floating in your mind. Every task, worry, obligation, and half-formed thought. Once it's on paper, it stops taking up your brain space and you can actually see what you're dealing with. And guess what? Half of it probably isn't as urgent as your brain is making it seem. Tip: Use pen and paper for this exercise rather than typing or dictating. The physical act of writing helps you connect with your body and creates a more concrete release.
   

2. Scan & Ask: What's actually true right now? Not tomorrow. Not next week. Right this moment. Chances are, in this exact moment, you're okay. Nothing's on fire. You're breathing. This simple question interrupts the mental spiral and brings you back to what's real.

   Say your truths out loud as reinforcement. This might sound like: "It's Wednesday. I'm in my office. I have a hot cup of coffee in my hand and a warm sweater on. I have people in my life that I love and care about, and they care about me."
   

3. Choose one thing. Not three things. Just one. What is the single most important thing you can do right now? Great, go do that. 5, 4, 3, 2, 1…GO. Then choose the next one thing. 

   Overwhelm thrives on trying to do everything at once. Clarity comes from doing one thing at a time. 
   

4. Get out of your head and into your body. Take a walk, preferably outside. Stand barefoot in the grass. Do ten squats. Run cold water over your hands. Practice a deep breathing technique for several minutes. Take notice of your body sensations—name how they feel and where you feel them. No judgement, just acknowledgment. When we're overwhelmed, we tend to live entirely in our heads. Your body is an anchor back to the present.
   

5. Let something go. Seriously. Get out your list and calendar. What can you release, delegate, or decide doesn't actually matter that much? Give yourself permission to not be perfect, to change your mind, to disappoint someone, to skip the thing that's draining you. Stop fooling yourself—you can't do it all, and you shouldn't have to.
   

6. Pause with purpose. Everything moves so fast, and even faster when we're feeling overwhelmed. Before you respond to that next email, start the next task, or say yes to the next request—pause. Take three deep breaths. Check in with yourself. Am I present? Am I choosing this because it's right for me and my path, or am I just reacting to what I think someone else wants or expects? That tiny pause is where your power lives.
   

A Holiday Season Reminder

If you're reading this during the rush of the holidays, here's your permission slip: It doesn't all have to be perfect. The magic isn't in the flawless execution of every tradition and obligation. It's in the moments of real connection, the laughs so hard you cry, the exhale when you finally sit down together. Your presence is magic.

You're allowed to say no. You're allowed to simplify. You’re allowed to try something totally new. You're allowed to prioritize your own well-being so you can actually show up for what matters.

The Practice

Managing overwhelm isn't a one-time fix—it's an ongoing practice of coming back to the now. Again and again. Some days you'll nail it. Other days you'll find yourself spinning. That's okay. The practice isn't about perfection; it's about noticing when you've drifted and choosing to get back on a more solid path.

You've got this. One breath. One choice. One stride at a time.

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What helps you find your footing when overwhelm hits?

I'd love to hear what works for you—drop a comment here or send me a note at achristian@evolveinstride.com.