251. The First Question to Ask Yourself When You're Overwhelmed

251. The First Question to Ask Yourself When You're Overwhelmed

From Beyond Awareness: Closing the Gap Between Knowing and Doing by Samantha Hawley | Inspired by Brene Brown, Glennon Doyle, Marie Forleo, Hillary Kerr, Mel Robbins

June 11, 2026 · 9 min · Season 4 · Episode 251

About this episode

In this episode, Samantha Hawley discusses the importance of pausing to feel emotions rather than rushing to fix them when overwhelmed.

You finally sit down for the night, but your mind is already making tomorrow's to do list. You're halfway through a conversation with your partner while mentally drafting an email. You're playing with your child while thinking about the next thing you need to do. In this week's reflection episode, I'm sharing a question I was asked during a recent interview that took me back to a season of my life when work stress followed me everywhere. Even when I was with the people I loved most, my mind was always focused on what was next. I talk about the belief underneath that constant striving and why overwhelm isn't always about your to do list. Sometimes it's about what you're trying not to feel. Today, I invite you to pause before you fix, solve, reframe, or talk yourself out of what you're experiencing. Because you can't move through what you won't let yourself feel. Your reflection for this week: When something feels off, don't rush to fix it, reframe it, or remind yourself what you should be grateful for. Let it be true for a moment. What are you actually feeling before you try to manage it? Most of us are quick to solve what we're feeling. This week, try something different. When…

People in this episode

Host: Samantha Hawley

Topics covered

  • overwhelm
  • emotional awareness
  • self-reflection
  • stress management
  • mindfulness

Keywords

  • overwhelm
  • stress
  • emotional awareness
  • self-reflection
  • mindfulness
  • work-life balance
  • mental health

More episodes of Beyond Awareness: Closing the Gap Between Knowing and Doing

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Beyond Awareness: Closing the Gap Between Knowing and Doing podcast page.