Feeling Overwhelmed? Try This Simple Nervous System Reset

We’ve all had those moments when your chest tightens, thoughts race, and everything feels a little too much. Whether it’s the pressure of work, family responsibilities, or the general weight of the world, overwhelm can sneak up on you fast.

In today’s always-on world, our nervous systems, designed to protect us in short bursts, are constantly running on high alert. And when left unchecked, that prolonged state of stress can lead to anxiety, burnout, and even physical illness.

The good news? You can interrupt the cycle. You can create space to pause, reset, and reconnect with yourself, even in the middle of chaos.

Why Resetting Your Nervous System Matters

When you feel overwhelmed, it’s not just in your head; it’s in your whole body. Your nervous system (specifically, the sympathetic nervous system) responds to stress like a smoke alarm, setting off physical reactions: racing heart, shallow breathing, tense muscles, and difficulty concentrating.

While helpful in short bursts, staying in this state for too long isn’t sustainable.

A nervous system reset helps you move from that fight-or-flight state into the parasympathetic (rest and digest) mode, where your body can begin to repair, your mind can think clearly, and your sense of self begins to return.

A Simple Reset Exercise You Can Do Anywhere

This practice is deceptively simple, but incredibly grounding. It brings together reflection, emotional honesty, and nervous system regulation — all in under 10 minutes.

Regulate. Reconnect. Reclaim.

Step 1: Brain Dump the Stress

Grab a notebook or your phone. Write down everything that’s stressing you out — big or small. Let it all pour out, without editing. No one’s going to read it. This is just for you.

Step 2: Get Clear

Number each stressor. Then circle the one that feels the most intense. The one that’s taking up the most space in your mind or body right now.

Step 3: Go Deeper

Ask yourself:

• What’s the worst-case scenario here?

• What is my deepest fear about that scenario?

  
  

It’s important to be honest. Let the answers come, even if they surprise or scare you. Don’t rush. Breathe through it. This is all about facing fear, so it doesn’t control you from the shadows.

Step 4: Sit With It

This part is crucial. Let yourself feel whatever comes up — anxiety, sadness, frustration, even numbness. There’s no need to analyse it, fix it, or justify it. Just sit with the truth of it. Let the emotion move through you, without judgment.

Step 5: Reclaim Yourself

Now, gently repeat to yourself:

“In the heart of my pain, I reclaim my true identity and I find my freedom.”

Say it aloud or in your head. Let it land.

This is a reminder that you are not your fear.

You are not your situation. You are not your stress. You are something far more whole and steady underneath it all.

This is where the reset happens. Not by pushing the feelings away, but by facing them with presence and compassion.

Healing Isn’t a Quick Fix

The more you practise this nervous system reset, the easier it becomes to notice when you're spiralling, and gently bring yourself back.

You don’t have to be in crisis to use this. Try it before a big meeting, during a tense moment at home, or when your thoughts won’t let you sleep.

This reset is especially powerful for:

• Leaders carrying invisible emotional loads

• Parents juggling multiple roles

• Students or professionals dealing with high expectations

• Anyone who finds themselves constantly in “go” mode

  
  

Feeling overwhelmed doesn’t mean you’re weak. It means you’re human.

Your nervous system is doing its job, but sometimes it needs your help to remember that you’re safe.

capable and grounded.

In a world that rewards busyness, let this be your permission to pause. To feel. To reset.

And in doing so, reclaim the calm, strength, and clarity that’s already inside you.