Feeling Stuck

Overwhelm is an emotion we find ourselves in when big changes are occurring in our lives.

We feel a heaviness that keeps us stuck not knowing what to do next. Our brain is searching for a pattern of familiarity it can use to guide us but because we are in uncharted waters it is spinning and doesn’t know which way to go.

This doesn’t mean something has gone wrong, it just means we are moving toward something different and creating a new pattern for our brain to lean into. Our default way of navigating is not available for us right now because we are in the unknown of life.

This emotion of overwhelm is common for us all in times of life’s transitions, be it a new job, moving, loss of a loved one, empty nest, retirement, health challenges, etc. When we find ourselves at these junctures our first response is to stay paralyzed, to indulge in confusion and even though this seems like we are being careful and cautious it is really keeping our brain in varying degrees of searching, kind of like when our internet is buffering and trying to find a signal.

The best thing we can do is acknowledge that of course we are overwhelmed; this is what it feels like when we are in a new situation and unsure. After acknowledging it with understanding, one of the most empowering things we can do is make decisions and in making decisions we learn what is working and our brain is back to solving instead of spinning!

If this resonates with you, let’s connect!