Feeling Overwhelmed by Constant Change? Here’s How to Find Your Calm

Dear Elizabeth,

Lately, it feels like my whole life is in motion. I’ve had a new job, family changes, a health scare, and even a move—one thing after another with no break in between. Every time I think I’ve caught up, something else shifts. I’m overwhelmed and honestly, I just want things to stop changing so fast. How do I stay grounded when everything is in flux?— Too Much Change

Dear Too Much Change,

First, I hear you—and I promise, you’re not alone. There are seasons in life where changes pile up so quickly, it feels like the ground is moving under your feet. You wake up each day not quite sure what will be different next. It’s exhausting.

Here’s the truth: change itself isn’t always the problem—it’s the pace and the stacking of it. When multiple changes come at you in rapid succession, your nervous system works overtime trying to keep up. That’s why you can feel so tired, even if the changes are “good” ones.

Here are three ways to steady yourself when life won’t stop shifting:

1. Name what’s changing—and what’s not. It’s easy to feel like everything is moving, but that’s rarely true. Make a list of what’s in flux (job, home, relationships) and what’s still solid (your values, your morning coffee ritual, your faith, your closest friends). This reminds you that you still have anchors.

2. Create “transition pauses.” You don’t have to immediately adapt to each new change. Give yourself time to process between big shifts. Even a single afternoon of rest before moving on to the next thing can help your mind and body catch up.

3. Keep a peace ritual. In The Change Guidebook, I talk about aligning your heart, truths, and energy. In The Peace Guidebook, Katie and I share daily practices for returning to a calm center. Whether it’s prayer, journaling, walking, or deep breathing, do something that tells your body: I’m safe right now.

You may not be able to slow the pace of the outside world, but you can slow your own pace inside it. That’s where your peace lives—not in the absence of change, but in how you choose to move through it.

You’ve adapted before, and you will again. This is just one chapter in your story. You’re stronger than you think.

With peace,

Elizabeth