Finding Your Way Back to Yourself
Lately it feels like there is a miasma in the air. A swirling of uncertainty and malaise. Things feel unsettled and hard. It makes you want to crawl back into bed and pull the covers over your head. That’s how I felt last week anyway. I had the good fortune to have a new friend help me out of it. But it did get me thinking about those moments when we feel so discouraged and what we can do when we’re ready to move through them.
Overwhelm can creep in quietly. One day, you’re doing ok, taking steps, feeling motivated, seeing the path ahead. And then, suddenly, you’re not. You’re questioning everything. Wondering if it’s worth it. Feeling like maybe you should just stop. Everything feels heavier, slower, harder. And when you’re in it, it’s easy to believe the lie that this feeling will last forever, that maybe this is proof you should just stop trying.
I find the most effective strategy to address this feeling, like any other, is to stop and recognize it. Name what’s really going on. What’s underneath the feeling? Is it exhaustion? Fear? Comparison? Call it by its name. Out loud. Acknowledge that you’re feeling this way. Know that it is a perfectly reasonable response and a very human reaction. As my coach asks, “where do you feel that in your body?” Comfort yourself and sit with it for however long you need to. And, when you are ready, ask, “what do I need in this moment?”.
Now, as someone who is currently doing this work, I know all too well that “what do I need?” is not always an easy question. When you’re not used to listening to your inner voice, it can be so difficult to hear. A lifetime of social conditioning, and a long social media feed full of other people’s opinions, can massively drown out your inner wisdom. I’ve been doing exercises every day to be able to hear myself again. Like any other skill, this one also gets stronger with practice. It can be helpful to have a few things you already know will comfort you at the ready. A warm cup of tea, a bath, a walk in the sunshine, petting your dog or cat, and talking with a friend, for example.
The inability to hear your own wisdom makes you look outward for validation instead of inward for truth. As you focus on listening to yourself and figuring out what you need, you will start to know yourself again. When you know your own thoughts and feelings, you can stand strong against the current around you. Overwhelm and discouragement trick you into thinking you need something outside yourself. But the answers and what you need next are already within you.
We’ve talked before about agency. I think knowing yourself and what you value, being able to hear your own voice is the easiest way to access your agency. Overwhelm feels heavy because it makes you feel powerless. Like things are happening to you rather than because of you. Instead of letting external opinions, fear, or frustration dictate your next move, pausing to hear your own thoughts puts you back in the driver’s seat. Your inner voice isn’t just offering comfort, it’s offering direction. The more you listen, the more you reinforce the idea that you are the one making decisions, not your circumstances.
Agency isn’t just about making big decisions. It’s about the small, daily choice to trust yourself. Reconnecting with your inner voice reminds you that you can move forward. The next right step is already in you—you just have to listen for it. Tuning into your inner voice is a way of reminding yourself, I get to decide what happens next.
If you’re in a season where you’re feeling overwhelmed, discouraged, or like you’ve lost touch with your own voice, you don’t have to navigate it alone. My coaching is designed to guide you through these moments, to help you hear yourself again, and to move forward with clarity and confidence. If you’re ready to step back into your agency and reconnect with what’s next for you, let’s talk.
