Adventures in aging with intention

Staying Open Without Feeling Overwhelmed

Life can be overwhelming at times. But there’s something comforting in knowing we’re not alone in that feeling.

Check out this startling fact: According to research from UC San Diego, the average person consumes over 34 gigabytes of data daily—roughly equivalent to reading a full novel’s worth of words (about 100,000) every single day.

When you sit with that number for a moment, how does it land with you?

A woman holds her head with both hands, appearing distressed, with the image blurred around her to suggest dizziness or confusion.

Countering Overwhelm with Openness

I’ve come to realize that when I’m truly open—when I bring my whole self into each moment—I feel most alive. Aren’t we all envious of babies who do that so easily, without question. Now is all they know.

For those of us carrying years of experience and protective patterns, it takes deliberate practice to override our instinct to guard ourselves. Especially with our daily intake of information overload. Technology can be a spiritual soul suck. Why not choose to be open to life’s unexpected beauty and innocence that’s always there, waiting? I find that when I lean into that connection, something shifts. I can respond with intention, from a place of genuine care, and my life feels anchored in meaning. So that at the end of the day, I can say thank you for how it unfolded with me in it.

The Paradox: Boundaries Create Openness

Here’s where it gets interesting. There’s a trap we fall into—especially as women who’ve spent decades multi-tasking and meeting challenges head on. We think openness means saying yes to everything, always being available to everyone, keeping up, staying current.

But openness without discernment becomes chaos.

A wooden signpost with three arrows labeled THIS WAY, THE OTHER WAY, and THAT WAY against a blue sky with clouds.

The real skill isn’t opening yourself up more. It’s getting ruthlessly intentional about what you let in and why. It’s more about wisdom instead of tearing down walls. When you’re clear about what energizes you versus what drains you, when you can say no without guilt, when you honor your own rhythm—that’s genuine openness. Then you’re not white knuckling your way through life anymore. Instead, you’re naturally drawn to what matters. That’s the kind of openness that builds you up, and lasts.

Think back. When was the last time you said yes to something when you really wanted to say no? It only added weight, didn’t it? That overwhelm you felt wasn’t about being too open. It was about losing your center. After all, haven’t we finally arrived at the age of “I don’t care what people think of me, I’m happy with who I am.”

The Noise We Don’t Need

There’s a particular exhaustion that comes from comparing our insides to everyone else’s outsides—especially online. So often women in our season feel pressured to stay current, to prove we’re still relevant, still here, still mattering. Integration is key, but on my terms. Not like how I find myself adjusting to the latest helpful iPhone upgrade that adds layers of complexities I didn’t necessarily ask for.

What if staying open meant curating your version of what’s worth your attention? Not matching someone else’s pace or interests, but choosing what actually nourishes YOU.

Hands holding a heart-shaped arrangement of small purple flowers with yellow centers, against a blurred background.

When it comes to current events, here’s what I’ve learned: I stay informed by reading from trusted, non-biased sources. It allows me to understand what’s happening in the world without the added heat of television news and it’s rating’s spin. I can absorb the information without engaging in the combative dialogue that hijacks me with fear. I’m present to what’s real, without losing myself.

Overwhelm as an Invitation

Years ago, I read about Biosphere 2, a sealed research facility in Arizona designed to study Earth’s eco-systems. Inside this carefully controlled environment, the trees only grew to a certain height before collapsing. The researchers eventually discovered the missing piece: the trees needed wind. They needed the stress of external forces to develop strong roots, to become resilient. Humm…

What if feeling overwhelmed works the same way? Maybe, it’s just what’s needed to stretch us into something stronger, more flexible. So we can stand tall in the essence of who we are.

Tall trees photographed from below with sunlight peeking through green leaves and blue sky visible between the branches.

Five Practical Ways to Stay Anchored

  • 1) Understand it’s okay to be selective. You’ve spent decades being there for others. It’s your time now. Give yourself permission to be choosy about where your energy goes and when it’s at its highest to tap into. Your energies are a finite resource, so take agency and honor that by treating yourself with respect. Being introspective isn’t being selfish.

 

  • 2) Notice how you’re receiving information. Find a balance. Awareness without overwhelm is possible. It’s about the how, not the what.

 

  • 3) Say yes to the unexpected. It’s a given that life will keep surprising us. Each surprise is also an invitation to respond with grace to what’s really happening. Without judgment, or taking it personally. Is there ever a convenient time for unwanted things to show up? Whether you deny it or not, there’s no escaping that “shit” happens. We all get our share of life, and it’s never a smooth ride.

 

  • 4) Trust the process. Like weather shifting by degrees, overwhelm changes too. When you trust that you can be with whatever lands in your lap, you can let it move through you instead of shutting down. Acknowledgement that you’re right where you’re supposed to be gives you permission to accept the reality of things as they are.

 

  • 5) Create rituals that fortify you. Reconnect with: Meditation. Music. Dancing. Helping someone. A walk in nature (Forest Bathing). Building friendships. Reading. Pickleball. Whatever lights you up—these aren’t luxuries, they’re lifelines. They get you out of your head and into your heart where your soul sings.

 

Wherever there’s gratitude, there’s no room for fear and judgement (including self-judgement). When you create space to feel genuinely connected to life—to the Oneness of it all—you can appreciate the foundational love at the center of everything. But alignment with that source requires action. It requires showing up.

Move from reacting to taking responsibility. Feelings of overwhelm can be an invitation for all of us to go deeper, to the place where a profound kind of self-love is waiting underneath the armor we’ve crafted to protect ourselves. All it needs is some air to breathe.

Staying open makes you the hero of your own story. Cultivating a life by your own design lets you create a beautiful garden of possibilities just waiting to bloom.

Why not let your inner light shine 🙂

A person standing outdoors with arms outstretched, facing the sunlight, wearing a white sleeveless top and smiling, with a blurred natural background.