THE BRIDGE - AUGUST 31, 2025
There are days when I feel like I’m spinning a dozen plates at once.
Between work, family, and the constant stream of “little things” that pile up, my energy starts to dip.
The tricky part is that when I get overwhelmed, I don’t always notice right away.
It shows up in the way I get short with whoever is right in front of me—even though that’s never my intention.
For me, the first step is simply recognizing the signals. My heart rate speeds up.
The smallest annoyances feel magnified. Things that normally wouldn’t bother me suddenly do.
I know in that moment it’s not about the thing—it’s about me needing a reset.
Step One: Pause and Breathe
My go-to reset practice is box breathing.
If you haven’t tried it, it’s a simple rhythm: inhale for four counts, hold for four, exhale for four, hold for four. Repeat.
There are great YouTube videos that guide you through it if you want extra support, but honestly, once you learn it, you can do it anywhere. It’s amazing how quickly your body responds when you give it a moment of intentional calm.
At the same time, I try to physically step away from the space that feels overwhelming.
Even if it’s just moving to another room or stepping outside for a few minutes, that shift helps me reclaim my thoughts and stop spiraling.
Step Two: Ground in Positivity
Here’s the truth—it’s not always easy to recover in just a few minutes. Sometimes the stress lingers. That’s when I lean on little reminders that help me ground myself in positivity.
In my top drawer, I keep a card from a former colleague who once encouraged me in a season when I was completely stressed out.
Every time I see it, I’m reminded that I’ve faced this before, and I can do it again.
I also keep a few go-to songs ready to go on a Spotify playlist. The right music has a way of resetting my mood in ways nothing else can.
Within a few songs, I start to feel more like myself again—lighter, steadier, and ready to move forward.
Step Three: Keep It Simple
If you’re looking to reset your energy in under 10 minutes, don’t overthink it.
My best advice is this: find one positive token and put it somewhere prominent in your space. It doesn’t have to be flashy. It just has to mean something to you.
A note, a picture, a small object—anything that reminds you that you’re capable of finding your way back to calm.
Pair that with a short breathing exercise or a quick change of scenery, and you’ll have a toolkit you can reach for whenever your energy starts to dip.
A Final Word
Here’s what I want you to know: you’re not alone.
Everyone gets overwhelmed. Everyone has those moments when they feel like they just can’t handle one more thing. That doesn’t mean you’re failing—it just means you’re human.
The important part is giving yourself permission to pause. To reset. To center on something positive long enough to let the stress pass through you instead of clinging to it.
Ten minutes may not solve everything, but it can give you the breathing room you need to keep going—with steadier energy and a calmer spirit.
