There is a kind of pressure that words don’t always do justice. The pressure of trying to keep up in a world that never seems to slow down. We wake up already behind. Our to-do list is longer than our energy levels, and no matter how intentional we try to be, there’s always something urgent, demanding our time, our focus and our peace. And, when we struggle with anxiety, that pressure is magnified.
The internal chaos can be just as loud, if not louder, than everything going on around us.
If you’re anything like me, you’ve tried all the right things: deep breathing, to-do lists, encouraging pep talks etc. But, what happens when those tools just aren’t enough? When real-life expectations don’t pause for our panic? When our internal world is already spinning and life says it’s time to “pick up the pace?”
That is where I’ve found myself recently.
After being laid off from my previous job, I stepped into a new role , one that I’m incredibly grateful for. It’s a blessing and I don’t take it for granted. But, that doesn’t make it easy. It’s still a new job, new environment, new people, new systems to learn, new policies to follow and new expectations to meet. And while I bring relevant experience to the table, I’m still adjusting, learning and figuring things out.
And there is a learning curve, sure.. But, there’s also a time frame. There are certain tasks that need to be completed within a certain window in order to stay in compliance. It’s not just about doing my best, it’s about doing it quickly, correctly and consistently. There’s not a lot of space for trial and error. And of course, I want to keep this job. I want to succeed. So, I put a lot of pressure on myself to be a quick learner and to meet every mark. But, the truth is.. Some tasks have really challenged me.
As an anxious girly, I already tend to create urgency where there isn’t any. My most consistent battle with anxiety is this overwhelming feeling that I have to rush through everything. That if I’m not already done, I’m behind. That I don’t have time to breath, let alone pause or rest. So, I’ve been learning, day by day, moment by moment, how to pace myself. How to give myself grace.
But, what do we do when we’re being asked to move faster? When the job, the deadline, the real-life responsibilities say, “you have to pick up the pace?”
The world won’t always slow down for us. That’s the reality. So, how do we find peace in the chaos, no just outside of it?
Here are 5 strategies that have been helping me lately, especially in this current season of transition, anxiety and high expectations:
Practice Micro-Pacing
When we can’t slow everything down, we can slow something down. We might not be able to control the workload or the deadlines, but we can control our breath, our posture, or the way we transition between tasks.
Let’s give ourselves a beat between one task and the next. Stand up. Stretch. Take three deep breaths. Refill our water. Even 30 seconds of slowing our body can interrupt the mental frenzy and help us reset our nervous system.
Micro-pacing is about finding pockets of stillness within motion. It trains our brains to respond to stress with presence, not panic.
Redefine What “Grace” Looks Like
Giving ourselves grace doesn’t always mean going slower. Sometimes, grace is trying again even when we feel like we’ve failed. Sometimes, it’s resisting the urge to replay that awkward moment or mistake in our head for the hundredth time.
Grace is self-compassion in action. It’s saying, “that what hard, but I’m still showing up.”
Especially for those of us who hold ourselves to high standards, grace isn’t weakness. It’s wisdom. It’s how we build endurance without burning out.
Focus On What’s In Our Control
We can’t change how fast everything is moving around us. But, we can control how we prepare. We can organize our notes. We can ask clarifying questions without shame. we can ask for help. We can build cheat sheets or checklists to support our brains as we learn new routines.
Anxiety thrives in the unknown. So the more we create structure and reduce confusion, the more confident we’ll feel, even in high-pressure environments.
Find Anchors, Not Just Escape Hatches
A lot of us try to escape chaos by numbing out.. scrolling, binge-watching, avoiding… But, what if instead of escaping, we anchored ourselves?
An anchor is anything that helps us feel grounded, such as, a morning playlist that reminds us who we are, a short midday walk outside, journaling for five minutes before bed or keeping one consistent routine, even if everything else is changing. These tiny rhythms offer stability in unstable seasons. They tell our nervous systems that we’re safe, we’re okay and we’re still us!
Lean Into Faith (In Every Season of Life)
For me, my relationship with God has been the anchor that holds me when nothing else makes sense. When I feel overwhelmed by expectations I’m not sure I can meet, I remind myself of this:
2 Corinthians 12:9 says, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”
That verse reminds us that we don’t have to do it all in our own strength. We don’t have to rely on our human ability to make it through. God is not surprised by our stress. He’s not intimidated by our anxiety. He knows the pressure we and He’s walking with us through it. Jesus (being God “in the flesh” or “in human form”) was on earth, and faced with various tests and temptations that allowed him to experience the various human emotions, feelings and frustrations that we experience. So, I like to remind myself of that, because it makes it more personable… the fact that He does understand how I’m feeling when I walk through tough situations. And, even though He may not “deliver” me out of the situation, He will walk with me through that situation, because He is using that situation to Help me learn and grow.
Sometimes grace doesn’t look like everything going perfectly. It looks like peace in the middle of imperfections. It looks like showing up with shaky hands and an honest heart.
We are not failing just because we are overwhelmed. We are not broken because we are still learning. And, we’re not alone in this. The world may not slow down but we can learn to move through it with grace.
One breath at a time.
One moment at a time.
One choice at a time.
We’ve got this! And even when we feel like we don’t, we’re still growing.
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