When Your Thoughts Start to Spiral
In a Hurry? Try This First
Step away for five minutes, even if the work isn't finished.
Put down your phone and move away from the screen.
Go outside, lower the lights, or stand up and stretch.
Take a few slow breaths without trying to solve anything.
Notice whether your jaw, shoulders, or breathing feel less tense before returning.
As I sit here trying to design the landing page for my new website, a landing page that I have rewritten and redesigned three times, I can feel my thoughts beginning to spiral.
I left a good-paying job to pursue this? Sure, my boss was an egomaniac, but at least I had a steady income. I left the country for three weeks in the middle of summer, completely halting any business building momentum. What was I thinking?
I'm so good at hyping other people up. I can see their potential, remind them of everything they have already accomplished, and help them believe that the next step is possible. But when it comes to my own pursuits, that confidence can disappear quickly. Why can’t I be there for myself?
What if I look like an idiot? What if I fail? What if I lose all my money?
Within a few minutes, I had gone from struggling with the layout of a webpage to questioning nearly every decision I had made over the past year. The landing page was no longer just a landing page. In my mind, it had somehow become proof of whether I was capable of making this business work.
When Slowing Down Feels Uncomfortable
The irony wasn't lost on me. I was sitting there building Grounded Rebel, a space intended to help people slow down, reconnect with themselves, and stop treating rest like something they have to earn. Meanwhile, I was refusing to step away from my computer because I felt like I had not accomplished enough, or anything at all.
When your body becomes accustomed to constant stimulation, stillness can feel unfamiliar and irresponsible, even when you know that you need a break. There’s always one more thing to do... then I’ll stop and go to the bathroom. Continuing to push doesn't always get results, sometimes it can actually set you back.
Rest Doesn't Have to Mean Doing Nothing
Rest doesn't have to be an elaborate morning routine, a silent meditation retreat, or an entire day without responsibilities. It can be much smaller, like listening to one song without doing anything else, sitting outside for five minutes, or standing up and doing a bit of stretching. Personally, I like to doodle.
In my case, rest meant stepping away from the webpage that had somehow become a referendum on my entire future. I went outside, enjoyed a slow lunch, and sipped a well-earned afternoon coffee. For 20 minutes, I stopped trying to solve the business, the website, and the rest of my life all at once. Nothing too dramatic.
I didn’t return to my desk as a completely transformed person with every problem solved. However, I noticed that my shoulders had dropped, my jaw had unclenched, and my thoughts had begun to flow. As a result, I was able to finish the landing page and write this article. Not bad for someone who had been on the brink of a meltdown an hour earlier.
A Simple Reset When Your Mind Is Spiraling
The next time you notice your thoughts moving from one difficult moment into a full interrogation of all of your life choices, try giving yourself five minutes.
Put your phone down, step away from the screen, lower the lights, or go outside. Take a few slow breaths, listen to something calming, or simply allow yourself to sit without trying to fix anything.
Then notice what has shifted. You don't need to feel completely calm, and you don't need to have solved a Rubik’s Cube worth of problems. Take note of the small changes in your body. Does your jaw feel slightly less tense? Has your breathing slowed?
Taking My Own Advice
Listening to my own advice brought me back to the reason I started building Grounded Rebel in the first place. I know what it feels like when one stressful moment turns into questioning everything.
Recognizing the moment when you need to step away takes practice. I’m human, so I have yet to perfectly master this skill, but I’m much better at recognizing when I need to go rest than I was a few years ago. We cannot ask perfection of ourselves, only improvement.
Taking a moment to rest didn't bring me all the answers, but it helped me remember why I started. I want to help people recognize these moments in themselves and understand that rest can bring clarity. That clarity will get us so much further than trying to force our way through. Let's start treating rest like an asset.
When Rest Isn’t Enough
A quick note before you go: This article is about the kind of spiraling that can happen when stress, pressure, and self-doubt start piling up. I’ve been there too, and I also know there are moments that are heavier than a five-minute break can fix.
If what you’re experiencing feels frightening, unmanageable, or unsafe, please reach out to a licensed mental health professional, someone you trust, or emergency support in your area. Rest can be a helpful tool, but it isn’t a replacement for professional care.
Grounded Rebel gives you a consistent practice of rest instead of waiting until you’re already running on empty.
It’s a weekly virtual sound bath membership I’m creating for people who need a consistent place to slow down, rest, and reconnect with themselves. Over time, that regular pause can make it easier to recognize when you’re pushing too hard, step away before your thoughts begin spiraling, and return to your life with a little more clarity. Grounded Rebel can help you build a healthier relationship with rest before exhaustion becomes your baseline.
Scroll to the bottom to join my mailing list for Grounded Rebel launch updates.
