How to Stop Feeling Overwhelmed: A Simple Reframe That Changes Everything
How to Stop Feeling Overwhelmed: A Simple Shift That Changes Everything |
Feeling Like You Have Too Much on Your Plate? You’re Not Alone.
If you’ve ever felt completely overwhelmed by your to-do list, responsibilities, and expectations—both from yourself and others—you’re in good company.
You might recognise thoughts like:
🌀 “I have too much to do.”
🌀 “I’m never going to get through all of this.”
🌀 “There’s no way I can keep up.”
These thoughts create stress, drain your energy, and make even small tasks feel impossible.
But what if the answer to overwhelm wasn’t doing less—but thinking differently?
In this blog, you’ll learn:
- Why your brain jumps straight to panic under pressure
- How a simple mindset tweak can instantly reduce stress
- A real-life coaching example of how one client turned her chaos into calm
- Practical tools to help you move from “I can’t do this” to “I’ve got this”
Because overwhelm doesn’t actually come from how much we have to do—it comes from how we think about what we have to do.
That’s exactly what we discovered in a recent coaching session. My client, Sally, came in feeling completely swamped. With multiple exams, papers, work shifts, and deadlines piling up, her brain was screaming, “This is too much—I can’t do it.”
What happened next changed everything.
The Marathon Mile: Overwhelm Happens When We’re Almost There
Sally was three and a half weeks away from finishing college. The finish line was in sight, but instead of feeling proud, she felt like she was drowning.
I told her;
"This is like the last mile of a marathon. This is the part where it feels hardest, not because you’re weak, but because you’re so close to the end. Your brain is trying to convince you to stop when really, you just need to keep taking one step at a time."
This is how overwhelm works. It tells us we can’t keep going—just when we’re about to prove that we can.
When Life Feels Like a Comedy Skit of Chaos
Sally had an exam that didn’t go as planned. On top of that, a paper deadline unexpectedly shifted earlier, leaving them scrambling. To make things worse, her work shift ran an hour late on the morning of the exam.
At that point, it felt like life was conspiring against her.
I shared a story about a time when I was moving house right before Christmas. The removal company didn’t show up, I was exhausted from grief, and I had to hand in the keys by 6:00 pm. In that moment, I could have let panic take over. Instead, I told myself, "This is what we’ve got. Now, what’s the next step?"
That shift—accepting what was happening instead of resisting it—gave me the clarity to find a new solution.
The same goes for overwhelm. The more we tell ourselves, "This shouldn't be happening", the worse we feel. But when we reframe to, "Okay, this is the situation. How do I handle it?", we regain control.
The Simple Reframe: “I Have Capacity for This”
Instead of telling yourself you’re drowning in responsibilities, try this small but powerful reframe:
💡 New Thought: “I have capacity for this.”
This statement does two things:
It gives you back your power. Instead of feeling helpless, you recognise your ability to handle what’s ahead.
It calms your nervous system. When your brain believes you’re capable, stress levels drop, making it easier to focus and take action.
Example:
Old Thought: “I have too much to do.” → Feeling: Overwhelm
New Thought: “I have capacity for this.” → Feeling: Confidence, motivation
How to Apply This Shift in Real Life
Here’s a step-by-step way to start using this mindset reframe immediately:
1. Notice the Overwhelm Thought
When you notice yourself thinking, “I have too much to do,” pause. Awareness is the first step to change.
2. Reframe It with a New Thought
Replace it with something empowering:
🔹 “I have capacity for this.”
🔹 “I will take it one step at a time.”
🔹 “I’ve handled busy times before, and I can do it again.”
3. Plan with Intention
Instead of staring at your to-do list in panic, break it down into manageable time blocks.
💡 Pro Tip: Spend 5 minutes each night mapping out your next day. Seeing a plan helps quiet overwhelm.
4. Use Mental “Power-Ups”
Whenever stress creeps in, give yourself a quick mindset boost:
Take a deep breath and say, “I’ve got this.”
Stand up, shake out the tension, and reset.
Visualise yourself completing one task at a time successfully.
Final Thought: Overwhelm Is Optional
Your workload may not change overnight, but the way you think about it can. When you practice reframing from “I have too much to do” to “I have capacity for this,” you train your brain to work with you, not against you.
Sally walked away from our session with a new perspective. Instead of feeling buried, she planned her next steps with intention, scheduled time for rest, and reminded herself that she was in the final stretch.
And that’s when everything started to feel lighter. 💫
This blog is inspired by the work I do with my clients during sessions, and brought to you in partnership with AI.
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