Dr. Wendy Hueners

04/21/2026

Are you feeling overwhelmed?

Often our brain doesn't understand "overwhelmed" and thinks that you are in danger or threatened in a serious way so it shifts into survival mode and freezes: increased heart rate, hard to think clearly and focus. Your brain now thinks:

**Overwhelm = I am in danger**

If you can change the way you think about overwhelm and give a direction for your mind to follow like:

**I need to slow down and focus**

This will activate your prefrontal cortex which is the part of the brain that handles executive functioning instead of you being hijacked by your "lizard" brain (the primitive brain in charge of basic survival). Now your brain will start sorting, planning, and making decisions again with clarity.

When you are feeling overwhelmed your brain is trying process everything at once. If you can slow down and focus on what matters then your brain can filter out the noise.

04/21/2026

Sharing a list of ways to help calm an anxious nervous system....

Regulating your nervous system when you’re anxious doesn’t have to be complicated. It’s as simple as doing things that signal safety to your body that you’re not in any danger.

See if you can slow the pace that you’re moving at today and incorporate some of these activities.

Which of these ideas will you try today? Let me know in the comments!

⭐️ Anxious folks, high-achievers, perfectionists, people-pleasers, and overthinkers in Texas or Florida: comment “THRIVETHERAPY” to learn more about how we can work together. ⭐️

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