A few months ago, someone in my programme said,
“I love what I’m learning, but my brain feels fried.”

I smiled, because I knew that feeling, the slightly panicked, “I’m trying so hard to take it all in but I just can’t.”

I’ve experienced that too. For years, I believed that overwhelm was caused by having too much to do. Now I see it differently. Overwhelm isn’t about what’s on your plate but rather, it’s about how much pressure you pile on top of it.

The Myth of “Too Much”

We often think if we just had fewer responsibilities, we’d feel calm.

But have you noticed how sometimes even on quiet days, your mind is still racing?

That’s because overwhelm begins in the mind, not the calendar.

It’s not the number of tasks; it’s the thinking about the tasks that tires us out - the stories, the “what ifs,” the invisible to-do lists looping in our heads.

When the mind settles, the same day feels completely different.

The Pressure Comes from Within

When I started recovering from burnout, I noticed that my stress didn’t come from the outside world - it came from the expectations I was holding in my head.

“I should be able to manage more.”
“I can’t drop anything or I’ll let people down.”
“Other people cope better than I do.”

Those thoughts weren’t facts; they were habits. And they created far more weight than anything on my actual schedule.

When we believe every thought that says you’re behind, we live in a constant state of catching up... even when we’re not.

The Power of Trusting the Pace

Wisdom has its own timing.

There’s a natural rhythm to learning, working, growing, and resting - but we miss it when we’re forcing ourselves to “keep up.”

When we slow down enough to listen, we often realise that:
Not everything needs doing today.
Some things never needed doing at all.
And sometimes, rest is the most productive thing we can offer ourselves.

Trusting that rhythm doesn’t make us lazy; it makes us aligned.

Learning Without Overload

Whether it’s personal development, professional growth, or healing, the same principle applies: you don’t need to absorb everything at once.

If a new idea feels heavy, step back.

If your brain feels fried, pause.

If you feel like you’re “not getting it,” remember - wisdom never rushes.

When we learn from a place of curiosity rather than urgency, we actually see more clearly.

You Can’t Pour Peace from a Cup That’s Full of Pressure

Overwhelm isn’t a sign you’re failing - it’s a gentle nudge from within.

A love letter from your system saying, “Slow down, I’ve got this.” (read more about love letters from the body here)

There’s nothing to fix.

There’s only something to see:

When the noise quiets, clarity and calm return all by themselves.
They always do.

✨ Want to Explore This More Deeply?

Inside my Membership, we look at how pressure, pace, and thought all work together - and how to live and work from a place of calm clarity instead of constant catch-up.

If you’re new here, start with my free 3-part mini course to experience what happens when you stop managing the storm and start trusting the stillness underneath it.