Feeling of the Week: Overwhelm

Overwhelm = Uncertainty + Overstimulation

Overwhelm is what happens when uncertainty collides with too much input. It is not only the fog of not knowing, it is also the flood of stimulation that comes with it. Too many choices, too much noise, too many “what if” scenarios racing through the mind all at once. The nervous system simply cannot process that volume of information, so it shuts down under the weight of it.

Overwhelm is often mistaken for weakness, but it is actually a capacity issue. The brain and body have limits, and when uncertainty demands constant scanning for answers while stimulation piles on, those limits get crossed. That is why you may feel exhausted, irritable, or frozen when life feels too loud and unclear at the same time.

The key is not to force yourself to “handle it all” but to gently reduce the load. Overwhelm begins to ease when you quiet the input, slow down the pace, and give your nervous system space to reset.

Where in your life could you make things quieter so uncertainty feels less like a flood and more like something you can stand in without being swept away?