Introduction: When Too Much Hits at Once
This past week brought several heavy pressures crashing into my life at the same time: navigating my father’s care from 1,800 miles away, deciding whether to renew my office lease, and watching revenue dip temporarily. None of these were dramatic on their own, but the combination pushed me into emotional overwhelm.
My mind—wired to feel deeply and process slowly when burdened—slipped into that familiar place where clarity collapses and thought distortions take over. EMDR has given me vocabulary for this. My spiritual walk gives me discernment for it. And this week… I needed both.
Let’s break down what happened and the life-giving clarity that finally emerged.
1. Multiple Stressors Hit at the Same Time
Overwhelm often begins with stacked triggers—separate stressors landing too close together for the brain to process cleanly. For me, it was:
- long-distance caregiving responsibilities
- an office lease decision with financial implications
- revenue fluctuations
- job search / client search uncertainty
Each alone was manageable. Combined, they exceeded my emotional bandwidth.
2. Emotional Overload Activated the “Overwhelm Response”
When too much hits at once, the nervous system does something predictable: it goes into freeze, fog, or shutdown. Mine did exactly that. Not because I’m weak—because that’s what human neurology does when it’s over capacity.
EMDR teaches this clearly: when the load is too high, the brain shifts from problem-solving to survival mode. And in survival mode, accuracy goes out the window.
My clarity evaporated. Everything felt ten times heavier than it actually was.
3. Scarcity Mindset Took Over Almost Immediately
Once the overwhelm set in, scarcity thinking rolled right in with it.
All week felt like trudging uphill with 100 pounds strapped to my back:
- job applications met with silence or flat out rejections
- walk-ins to generate new clients led nowhere
- client uncertainty
- revenue dips
- trying to “fix” things only making me feel worse
It wasn’t just discouraging. It was paralyzing.
This is exactly what emotional overload does: it narrows your world, tightens your chest, and convinces you everything is slipping away… even when none of that is objectively true.
4. Thought Distortions Took the Wheel
Once I hit emotional fatigue, the distortions moved in—fast and loud:
- “Your professional life is over.”
- “You’re not good enough.”
- “You’ll never get hired.”
- “All your effort is going to amount to nothing.”
These weren’t quiet whispers. They were forceful, believable, and incredibly discouraging.
Were some of these spiritual in nature?
Possibly.
When I run the “fruit test,” the fruit was fear, despair, accusation, and hopelessness. Those do not reflect God’s voice. They’re counterfeits—thoughts that feel true when the system is overwhelmed but lead nowhere good.
5. Purpose Broke the Cycle of Overwhelm
The storm finally shifted when I went back to working on my platform—the work I feel called to do. Within minutes, clarity returned. My breath deepened. My perspective widened again.
It was like someone opened a window in a suffocating room.
Purpose didn’t solve everything. It simply re-aligned me with who I am, which pulled me out of survival mode and back into spiritual, emotional, and mental groundedness.
That moment was life-giving.
It reminded me that overwhelm distorts the truth, but purpose restores it.
What This Week Taught Me (Again)
- Emotional overwhelm doesn’t mean failure—it means overload.
- Thought distortions aren’t truth—they’re symptoms.
- Scarcity mindset isn’t discernment—it’s fatigue.
- Returning to purpose can clear the fog faster than anything else I know.
This week wasn’t the end of anything. It was simply a moment where my system was over capacity—and then recovered.
Reflection: If You’re in the Fog, You’re Not Alone
If you’re someone who feels deeply… someone who carries responsibility… someone who tries to stay tuned to God’s voice… overwhelm can hit hard and fast. And when it does, it can fill your mind with thoughts that feel true but lead nowhere.
If you’re there right now, pause. Breathe. Notice the distortions—not to shame yourself, but to remind yourself they’re not the final word.
Clarity returns.
Purpose returns.
God’s presence returns.
And when it does, you’ll step into fresh air again—just like I did this week.