Tame Overwhelm: 5 Ways to Take Control for Purpose

I needed to tame overwhelm.

I thought I had it all together.

Listen to today’s Growing Hope with Kathryn Lang podcast by clicking the play button below (if you are on the website) 👇 or visiting GrowingHopeRadio.com

I was juggling plates, bowls, and even a few bowling pins—spinning, balancing, moving faster and faster—until I couldn’t anymore.

And then…

It all came crashing down.

Overwhelm doesn’t just show up with flashing lights and sirens—it sneaks in, creeping into your thoughts, piling onto your to-do list, and stealing your energy little by little.

One minute, you’re handling everything.

The next?

You’re drowning in stress, stuck in the cycle of spinning your wheels, running in circles, and chasing your tail—trying to bail out the boat, without enough energy (or clarity) to fix the leak.

Ever been there?

I have.

And here’s what I’ve learned:

You don’t overcome overwhelm by doing more.
You overcome overwhelm by resetting and refocusing.

#QuoteoftheDay

Overwhelm Is a Sign—Not a Failure

We treat overwhelm like a badge of honor, but it’s really just a flashing warning sign.

🚨 You’re doing too much.
🚨 You’re doing things that aren’t yours to do.
🚨 You’re off course from your unique design.

Overwhelm keeps you busy, but not productive.
Overwhelm steals your energy, leaving you with nothing left to give—even to the things that matter.
Overwhelm shifts your focus away from your purpose.

But overwhelm doesn’t mean you’re failing.
It just means it’s time to pause and reset.

Tame Overwhelm with a Reset

When overwhelm takes over, you don’t need more to-do lists or productivity hacks.

You need a reset.

STOP: Before You Spiral

When the plates start falling, stop.

Step back before everything crashes down.

Overwhelm makes you feel like you have to move faster, do more, and keep up. But the truth is:

Pushing harder won’t fix it.

🔥 Instead of doing more, do less.
🔥 Instead of rushing, step back.
🔥 Instead of reacting, reset.

If you’re drowning, flailing around won’t save you. But pausing—taking a deep breath—might give you just enough clarity to find a way out.

So before overwhelm takes over, stop.

BREATHE: Before You Break

Sounds simple, right?

But when you’re in overwhelm mode, even breathing feels impossible.

Try this:

➡ Inhale for a count of 4
➡ Hold for a count of 4
➡ Exhale for a count of 8

Repeat it until the panic fades, and you can think again.

Your breath is powerful.

It gives your brain space to reset.
It helps you step back from the storm.
It gives you control when everything feels out of control.

So before you rush into fix-it mode, breathe.

THINK: Ask the Right Questions

When you’re caught in overwhelm, your brain spins:

❌ “I don’t have time for this!”
❌ “Why does this always happen?”
❌ “I’ll never catch up!”

Those thoughts don’t help. They just feed the chaos.

So let’s reset the script.

Ask yourself:

🔹 Do I have a leak? (Is this really a problem, or am I making a molehill into a mountain?)

🔹 How can I fix the leak? (Is this something I can manage, or am I just adding unnecessary stress?)

🔹 Do I need help with the leak? (Would asking for help make this easier?)

🔹 Do I need help bailing? (Am I drowning because I refuse to accept help?)

🔹 Is this even my boat? (Am I trying to fix something that’s not even mine to fix?)

Because I can’t count the number of times I was bailing a boat that wasn’t even mine—and in the process, I was throwing water into my own boat.

5 Ways to Tame Overwhelm

Is There A Problem

Sometimes I’m struggling because I’ve been practicing procrastination. Sometimes I’m struggling because I’ve been overwhelmed by too much stuff that’s not aligned with my unique design.

If I feel overwhelmed, I have to figure out if it was because I am choosing not to do what I’m doing or if I’m lost in doing something I wasn’t designed to do.

Fix the Leak

Sometimes you need to fix it, but sometimes you just need to quit rocking the boat. If it’s a leak, plug it up. If it’s just a boat full of water, sit still and quit causing issues.

I was out on the boat with a friend when we noticed we were taking on water. It took a few panicked moments to realize that we had left the drain plug unplugged – and that’s not a good place to have the drain plug if you want to stay afloat.

We plugged the hole and were good to go.

Let People Help You

I don’t like asking for help.

I don’t like admitting that I can’t handle it all.

But you know what?

There’s power in letting people help you.

There have been so many times I was sinking under the weight of overwhelm, and a friend offered to help.

And do you know what I said?

“Nah—I got this. I don’t want to be a bother.”

🔥 Asking for help isn’t a weakness—it’s wisdom.
🔥 Letting people help isn’t an inconvenience—it’s a blessing.
🔥 Trying to do everything alone doesn’t make you stronger—it just makes you exhausted.

So the next time someone offers to help, don’t brush it off.

Let them.

Because you tame overwhelm when you stop trying to carry it all alone.

Stay in Your Lane (And Get Out of Other People’s Boats)

Let’s be honest.

Some of the overwhelm we feel isn’t even ours.

We take on problems that aren’t ours to solve.
We pick up responsibilities that were never meant for us.
We fight battles that aren’t ours to fight.

🔥 Not your boat? Get out.
🔥 Not your problem? Let it go.
🔥 Not your assignment? Stop claiming it.

Because when you’re in someone else’s lane, you can’t run your race.

There’s a story in the Bible where Peter asks Jesus about John’s future.

Jesus’ response?

“You let me worry about John. You stay in your lane.”

Oof.

How often do we do that?

We get so caught up in what everyone else is doing that we forget our own assignment.

🔥 You have a race to run.
🔥 You have a purpose to fulfill.
🔥 You have a lane to stay in.

So let go of what’s not yours—and get back to your unique design.

Winning Through Taming Overwhelm

Overwhelm doesn’t mean you’re failing.

It just means it’s time for a reset.

✨ Stop. Step back before the spiral starts.
✨ Breathe. Give yourself space to think.
✨ Think. Ask the right questions.

And once you have your reset, take back control by taming overwhelm.

Evaluate the circumstances causing the overwhelm.

Is there a leak?

Can you fix the leak on your own?

Do you need help fixing the leak?

Do you need help bailing out the water already in the boat?

Is this even your boat?

You tame overwhelm with purpose-focused actions.

And the more you focus on your unique design, the less power overwhelm has over you.

What’s One Thing You Can Reset Today?

💡 Drop a comment below—what’s one small reset you can make today to overcome overwhelm?

Need a fresh start? Join me for the Hope & Courage Reset!

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