Reclaiming Yourself in a World That Pulls You in Every Direction

Editor’s Note — Healthy Aging®: Sometimes burnout doesn’t come crashing into our lives—it slips in quietly. We notice we’re a little more tired than usual, even after a full night’s sleep. We’re quicker to snap, slower to smile, and the things that once brought joy feel strangely flat. It’s not just “being busy.”

It’s something deeper. The World Health Organization defines burnout as a syndrome caused by chronic, unmanaged stress, marked by exhaustion, mental distance from what we do, and a reduced sense of accomplishment. While it’s often linked to work, the reality is it can seep into every part of life, especially when our days feel like an endless to-do list.

Research shows it can impact our mood, relationships, decision-making, and even physical health (NIH). And it’s more common than we think. Among U.S. physicians, for example, 45% reported at least one symptom of burnout in 2023—down from pandemic highs, but still alarmingly widespread (AMA).If even highly trained, resilient professionals are feeling it, it’s clear none of us are immune.

Why is it so easy to lose our sense of balance? Partly, it’s the culture we live in. We’re told to keep pushing, keep fixing, keep achieving—and even our downtime gets treated like another productivity challenge.Phones ping, calendars fill, and the idea of stillness starts to feel foreign. In all that noise, our internal compass—the place of calm, clarity, and self-trust—can get drowned out.But here’s the good news: recovery doesn’t always require a major life overhaul. Sometimes it starts with the smallest of shifts—tiny moments of pausing, breathing, and remembering what matters most.

That’s where Laura Stoia, the author of Own Your Power Within: A Sacred Guide to Living a Life That Matters to You, comes in. In the piece that follows, she offers three simple yet powerful practices to help you reconnect with your inner clarity and reclaim your energy. Think of them as small, intentional pauses in your day that help you feel more grounded, more present, and more you.

By Laura Stoia

Recognizing the Signs of Burnout

Burnout often arrives quietly, without notice. Feeling extra tired throughout the day, even after a good night’s sleep. Feeling overwhelmed and easily irritated. A sense of disconnection in moments that once sparked great joy.

Especially in summer, when we’re expected to be both productive and carefree, emotional overload can creep in. It’s not just exhaustion—it’s a subtle fog that drifts in, clouding our entire day and slowly throwing us off balance before we even realize it.

And suddenly we’re derailed, without noticing we’re off track. We keep going, and in those moments when we feel the subtle symptoms of being unwell, we hope the energy and clarity we need will somehow appear if we just do a little more.

But the clarity we seek isn’t out there where we’re “doing more.” It’s within us, quietly waiting to be noticed and felt, so we can make decisions we want, and follow through with them. The question is: how do we return to that inner knowing when the world keeps pulling us in every direction?

Why the World Feels So Overwhelming

In today’s hyperconnected culture, we’re flooded with messages that tell us to keep pushing, fix ourselves, or constantly achieve something. Even rest is measured, as if it needs to be justified or made productive. Our phones ping, our calendars fill, and stillness becomes a stranger. When everything outside demands our attention, our internal landscape—the space of intuition, calm, and knowing—gets drowned out.

That disconnection doesn’t just affect our peace of mind. It spills into how we relate to others, how we work, and how we make decisions. We start to doubt ourselves. Our bodies begin to feel the strain, sometimes in subtle aches, fatigue, or unexpected illness. Our minds spin through loops of overthinking and negativity. We often turn to extra-salty or sweet foods that we know don’t align with our system. Even the most resilient can start to feel distant from their sense of well-being.

But there comes a moment—sometimes quiet, sometimes more abrupt and impossible to ignore—when we realize: this isn’t sustainable, or enjoyable at all. And we know it’s time to make a change. We feel the pull to reconnect with ourselves. Not through another app or to-do list, but through something more personal and grounding: a return to our clarity—the quiet inner knowing that helps us find balance, make aligned choices, and remember what truly matters.

Three Simple Practices to Restore Inner Clarity

1. A 2-Minute Morning Pause

   Before getting out of bed, take three deep breaths in through your nose and out through your mouth. Ask yourself: What do I need most today to feel uplifted? Let the answer arise without judgment. This small practice sets the tone for a day of inner alignment.

2. Name Your Intention for Today

   Relax, breathe normally, and stay still before getting out of bed, and allow the one positive word or phrase that pops into your mind. This is how you want to feel or show up today. Naming your intention is an act of alignment with your body, mind, and soul, shifting your energy to what you want to do today.

3. Let Nature Be Your Medicine for This Day

   If you’re able, take a short walk outdoors—barefoot if you can—and feel the grass beneath your feet. Let the warmth of the sunlight touch your skin. Listen to the birds. Watch a squirrel living its moment. If walking isn’t possible today, open a door or window and spend a few minutes intentionally watching a tree or plant. Notice the colors, the subtle movement in the wind, and the quiet presence.

These small shifts are not about perfection; they’re about permission. Permission to slow down, to feel, and reconnect with the clarity already inside you.

So if you’re feeling pulled in a dozen directions, know this: the world may be noisy, but your inner wisdom hasn’t left you. It’s always intact within you, simply waiting for you to take a few minutes, which will give you an enormous amount of energy for the rest of your day.

Clarity isn’t something you chase. It’s something you remember with a pause and a smile. With every breath, every pause, every moment of listening, reaching for your clarity is a practice of reclaiming yourself in our world that often pulls us in many directions.

Laura Stoia is the author of Own Your Power Within: A Sacred Guide to Living a Life That Matters to You. As a holistic healer, intuitive coach, Reiki Master, sound healer, and Gong Master, she helps people unlock, explore, and balance their intrinsic power for profound transformation. Connect on Instagram at @laurastoiaholistichealing.