The world has a way of getting loud. Not just the kind of loud you can hear, but the kind that fills your head and heart until you can’t tell what’s yours anymore. The noise of expectations. The pull to do more, be more, say yes to everything.

And if you’re wired like me, ambitious, passionate, a little too good at juggling it all, you probably know how easy it is to drown in that noise. I say yes to too much because I want to show up for everyone. I want to be the best version of myself in every lane of life. But sometimes, all that yes adds up to chaos.

Between raising kids, leading a professional career, and trying to carve space for the people and projects I love, I can feel myself getting swept up in the current. The calendar fills. The to-do lists stack. The quiet moments vanish. And then, without even realizing it, I’ve lost my footing.

That’s usually my cue. The overwhelm hits, and it’s loud. I can feel the tension in my chest, the short fuse in my patience, the dull hum of exhaustion that lingers no matter how much coffee I drink. That’s how I know I’m out of alignment. Not because something catastrophic happened, but because I’ve drifted too far from center.

And that’s the thing about being a high performer or a parent or just a human who cares deeply. It’s not always the big failures that throw us off balance. It’s the slow build. The constant motion. The quiet forgetting of ourselves while we try to hold everything else together.

When that happens, I’ve learned to shut off.
Not quit. Just pause.

Sometimes that looks like taking a walk by myself. No phone, no podcast, just my feet on the ground and the sound of my own breathing. Sometimes it’s sleeping in without guilt or watching a reality show where nothing matters except who’s getting voted off the island. Sometimes it’s reading a book that takes me far away from my world for a little while.

We all have our version of escape. The form doesn’t matter. What matters is the pause. The act of stepping away so you can return stronger.

When the Holidays Hit Early

As soon as the calendar turned to November 1, Jersey started building her Christmas list. She has already decorated her room for Christmas, lights, stockings, the whole thing.

I have a personal rule that I don’t decorate for Christmas until December 1. But every time Jersey brings it up, I feel my shoulders tighten a little. Because, let’s be honest, this is the season where moms go crazy. The planning. The ordering. The presents. The events. The cookies. The everything.

It’s funny, isn’t it? This time of year is supposed to be about connection and joy, yet it often becomes the season where we feel most stretched. The pressure to make everything magical can make us forget that we are part of the magic too.

At a time when we should just be enjoying each other, I find myself feeling overwhelmed and, honestly, a bit like I’m drowning. But that’s when I have to stop and remind myself that it’s okay to slow down. It’s okay to enjoy the little things and not do all the things. The holidays don’t have to be perfect to be meaningful.

When I can remember that, I feel my breath return.

Coming Back to Center

When I actually give myself permission to pause, I remember that being grounded isn’t about standing still. It’s about returning, over and over again. Back to what matters. Back to gratitude. Back to myself.

Because gratitude is the anchor. It pulls you back when everything else starts spinning. Even on the busiest days, when I take a moment to list what I’m thankful for, a conversation with my kids, the smell of coffee, the people who make me laugh, it shifts something inside me. Gratitude doesn’t erase the chaos, but it softens it. It gives the noise less power.

And maybe that’s the lesson in this season. Especially as we head into times like Thanksgiving, when emotions and schedules both run high. The holidays are full of joy, but they’re also full of pressure to do it all, to make it perfect, to show up smiling even when we’re stretched thin.

So here’s my reminder to you, and to me:
You don’t have to earn your rest.
You don’t have to prove your worth through productivity.
And you definitely don’t have to be perfect to be present.

If you’re feeling maxed out, take a break. Go somewhere that fills your cup instead of emptying it. Spend time with people who make you laugh until your stomach hurts. Step outside your normal routine. Shake up the monotony.

Because the truth is, being grounded isn’t about doing everything right. It’s about remembering who you are when everything feels wrong.

It’s about holding both, gratitude for what’s good, and grace for what’s hard.

So as the pace picks up and the lists get longer, choose to slow down. Let gratitude steady your breath. Let rest be your rebellion. The world will always demand more, but you don’t have to answer every call. The real power is in knowing when to pause. That’s where champions are made, in the quiet moments when they choose to come back to themselves.