When we feel overwhelmed

By Tina Marie St.Cyr

Feeling like too much is being demanded of us at any one time can send even the strongest of us into overwhelm. The body tenses. The mind races. The heart whispers, “I can’t keep up.” In those moments, we may want to draw back, hit the stop button, hide, or crawl back into bed.

The truth is, the world’s pace isn’t slowing down. But we can learn how to live within it—peacefully, powerfully, and purposefully—without falling into the quicksand of overwhelm.

Below are some of the proven strategies I share with my clients to return to higher-mind thinking, feel centered, and press pause instead of planning escape.

1. Take a Deep Breath

When the nervous system signals danger, even when no true threat exists, the breath becomes shallow and erratic. This is when vagal breathing becomes your ally.
The vagus nerve is the body’s internal calming system—running from your brainstem down to your heart and gut. Slow, deep, rhythmic breathing stimulates this nerve, activating the parasympathetic nervous system (your “rest and digest” mode). Within minutes, your heart rate slows, your muscles soften, and your awareness expands.

Try this:

Inhale slowly through your nose for 4 counts, hold for 2, exhale through your mouth for 6.
Repeat five times. You’ll feel the mind drop from frenzy into focus.

Breath is your access point to presence—and presence is where power lives.

2. Take Control of the Assumptive Brain

Our mind is a master storyteller. It jumps to conclusions, fills in blanks, and makes assumptions faster than we can catch them. When we’re overwhelmed, those assumptions often sound like:

• “I’ll never get this done.”

• “They’re disappointed in me.”

• “There’s no way out.”

In truth, these are unverified narratives.
The antidote? Curiosity.

Pause and ask:

• What’s actually happening right now?

• What’s within my control?

• What information am I missing?

By asking better questions, you create space for accurate thinking—and from accuracy comes relief. Overwhelm often dissolves the moment clarity arrives.

3. Ask for Help

One of the most liberating leadership skills we can cultivate is receiving support.
Too often, we operate under the illusion that strength means carrying it all alone. Yet the wisest leaders know that greatness is built in alignment with others.

Asking for help doesn’t make you weak; it makes you wise. It allows others to contribute their gifts, and it gives you room to focus where your energy creates the most value.

Perfectionism whispers, “Do it all yourself.”
Leadership says, “Let’s do this together.”

Whether that means delegating a task, seeking advice, or simply sharing how you feel—asking for help lightens the load and reconnects you to community, belonging, and perspective.

In Closing

Overwhelm is not a sign of failure; it’s a signal—a reminder to pause, breathe, ask questions, and reach out. When you do, your world doesn’t shrink under pressure; it expands with possibility.

Each time you meet overwhelm with awareness instead of avoidance, you reclaim your highest self—steady, clear, and alive in the center of it all.