When Life and the World Feel Like Too Much

There are times when what is happening in our lives—or in the world around us—feels like more than we can hold.

Personal challenges, uncertainty, loss, violence, division, and the constant stream of troubling news can leave us feeling overwhelmed, anxious, angry, or simply exhausted.

We tell ourselves to be strong. To stay positive. To trust that things will get better.

But what happens when part of us simply cannot believe those words? Clients often ask me why affirmations don’t work—or aren’t enough. The problem is that words alone can do little when they contradict what we are actually feeling in the moment.

What if the way forward is neither to deny what we feel nor to allow those feelings to consume us?

1. Hold what you are feeling with compassion

When we experience difficult emotions or emotional pain, our instinct is often to push them away, distract ourselves, or try to replace them with more positive thoughts or affirmations.

But there is another way.

Instead of fighting what you feel, try holding it with compassion. Imagine embracing the frightened, angry, or exhausted part of yourself as you would a child who needs comfort.

You might simply say, “I see you. I hear you. I care.”

Or simply pause and breathe.

You don’t need to fix anything in that moment. Just acknowledge what is there.

You can also imagine being supported by the earth, by nature, by people who love you, or by something greater than yourself. You do not have to carry everything alone.

I explored this idea many years ago in Being Peace in Troubled Times: how we can reconnect with a place of inner peace even when life around us is anything but peaceful.

2. Pause, remember, and open yourself to reconnecting

Our feelings are real, and they deserve our attention. But they do not define the whole of who we are.

Even in the midst of pain or uncertainty, there are parts of us that remain intact: our capacity to love, to create, to connect, to laugh, to find meaning. And if all of this feels lost or inaccessible in the moment, there is still your soul, your essence, having this imperfect human experience.

This is not about pretending that everything is fine. It is about remembering that there is always more to us than what we are going through or what we are witnessing around us.

And even if you cannot feel that connection right now, you can simply pause and open yourself to the possibility of reconnecting.

3. Consciously choose how you want to show up

We cannot always change our circumstances. And we certainly cannot control everything happening in our country or the wider world.

But we can choose how we respond.

If you have followed me for a while, you know how strongly I believe in setting a daily intention: choosing who we want to be and how we want to show up, no matter what. I recommend this same practice in moments of pain and stress.

Once you have held your pain with compassion and paused to remember that it is not all that you are, shift your attention to what you are choosing in the moment:

Who do I choose to be now, in the middle of everything that is happening?

What do I want to nurture rather than amplify?

What is one small, concrete step I can take in that direction right now?

Perhaps it means approaching a difficult conversation with more compassion. Reaching out to someone who is struggling. Taking action on something that matters to you. Or simply allowing yourself a moment of joy without guilt.

If you would like to explore this practice more deeply, I have written about the art of setting intentions and how it can help us reclaim our capacity to consciously shape our lives.

These small choices matter, even in the moment. They shape not only our inner lives but also how we relate to others and what we contribute to the world around us.

A simple practice to return to whenever you need it

Whenever we feel overwhelmed, we can return to these three movements:

• Hold with compassion what hurts, without trying to suppress or change it.
• Pause and open yourself to reconnecting with what remains whole within you. Even if you cannot feel that connection yet, simply remember that it is possible and set the intention to reconnect.
• Consciously choose who you want to be and how you want to show up next, taking one small step in that direction.

This is not necessarily a linear process. We may need to move through these three movements several times, even within a single day. And that is perfectly fine.

If you would like some support with this practice, I invite you to listen to my free guided visualization: Finding and Cultivating Peace in the Midst of Global Chaos. It is an invitation to cultivate inner peace while remaining present, connected, and engaged with the world around us.

We do not need to be free of fear, grief, or anger to move forward or feel different.

We can carry those feelings with tenderness while allowing something else—love, courage, creativity, hope—to guide us.

That is how we begin to transform not only our own experience, but also the world we create together.