At the Top of Your Tree? 3 Things You Can Try

Today, I’d like to share a quiet guide for when your resources are maxed out, because there comes a moment—often quietly—when the usual tools stop working. The breath cues feel hollow. The affirmations don’t land. Even rest feels like effort. You’ve tried everything. And still, something aches.

This isn’t failure. It’s a threshold.

When your resources are maxed out, the nervous system isn’t asking for more input. It’s asking for less. Less stimulation. Less striving. Less fixing. What it needs is permission—to pause, to not know, to not try.

Here are three gentle invitations for that moment:

#1. Let the body lead

Instead of reaching for a technique, notice where your body wants to be. Curled up? Stretched out? Under a blanket? Against a wall? Let it choose. Let it shift. No need to name the feeling. Just let the body find its shape.

#2. Remove the “shoulds”

If your inner voice is listing things you “should” be doing—breathe, journal, meditate—thank it, and let it rest. You’re not broken. You’re saturated. This is a moment for *non-doing*. For letting the nervous system re-calibrate without instruction.

#3. Choose one sensory anchor

Not a full practice. Just one sensory anchor. A warm drink. A soft texture. A quiet sound. Notice it. Let it be enough. Let it hold you. Let it remind you that safety can be simple.

If you’d like to be gently accompanied through this kind of moment, we offer regular guided relaxation sessions via the Mind Spa at Eastthorpe Hall. These sessions run 5 times a week – plus special events too – and offer a range of guided relaxation exercises designed to meet you exactly where you are—without pressure, without performance.

And if emotions feel layered and language feels too loud, or you’re in a position where you don’t feel ready, but you just need to be met, I can help. I use gentle, permission-based approaches, including my unique Passive Parts Technique through live one-to-one sessions to help you get closer to your goals. So, if you feel drawn to explore this more deeply in person, do get in touch.

You’re not alone in this. Until next time, may your breath be yours and your pauses be kind.