If you’ve been feeling overwhelmed lately, you’re not alone. In this episode, we talk about what it’s like when what’s happening in the world takes up more of our bandwidth than we realize—and how that can show up as low energy, stress, and doomscrolling.

We remind ourselves that even when we’re not personally in immediate danger, it still takes real energy to be in the world right now. So we explore a good-enough approach: set kind-but-firm boundaries around news and social media, calm your nervous system first, and then choose one small action you can actually sustain.

What We Talk About

1. 00:45 - Feeling overwhelmed and “maxed out,” and naming the nervous system impact
2. 01:10 - Remembering to factor in what’s happening in the world (on top of personal stressors)
3. 02:43 - How external stress compresses our capacity and bandwidth—even if we’re not directly threatened
4. 03:51 - The push-pull of wanting to stay informed without getting pulled into constant news consumption
5. 05:34 - Creating a container for the news: skim headlines, read one article, or set a 15-minute timer
6. 06:57 - Choosing your inputs on purpose: unfollowing/unfriending and skipping online arguments that won’t lead to real dialogue
7. 10:37 - Taking action to feel less helpless: donating, writing postcards, protesting, and focusing your energy where it can matter
8. 12:53 - Not letting perfectionism hijack activism: it’s not all-or-nothing, and “doing a little” still counts
9. 14:26 - Connection over consumption: reaching out to friends and checking in instead of scrolling
10. 16:23 - “Oxygen mask first”: calming your nervous system makes it easier to take meaningful action and help others

Key Takeaways

1. External stress is real stress: Even if nothing in your personal life changed, what’s happening in the world can shrink your capacity.
2. Set boundaries so you can stay informed (without spiraling): A small “container”—headlines only, one article, or a timer—helps you avoid doomscrolling.
3. Curate your inputs like it’s self-care: Unfollowing, unfriending, and choosing what you engage with can protect your nervous system.
4. Small actions beat perfectionism: Donating, writing postcards, protesting, or helping in your community doesn’t have to be perfect to matter.
5. Calm first, then act: When you feel steadier, it’s easier to take meaningful action.

The Bottom Line

When everything feels like too much, it makes sense that your energy is lower and your brain wants to scroll, worry, or shut down. In this episode, we remind ourselves that we can care and protect our nervous systems: set a boundary around what you take in, then choose one small action that helps you feel less helpless—without letting perfectionism turn it into a moral test.

Listener Action: This week, pick one boundary (like a 15-minute news timer or “one article only”) and one small action (text a friend to check in, donate a few dollars, write one postcard, etc.). Good enough counts.

• Watch the episode on YouTube - You can watch us have this conversation on YouTube, if you'd like.
• Ben Sheehan, host of Civics Made Easy, on Instagram: Calling members of Congress WORKS. With such thin majorities for the GOP you’d only need to convince a handful of members to vote across the aisle — and we’ve already seen that happen this year. Don’t let anyone tell you that pressure doesn’t work - we’ve already seen proof that it does. And if you’re concerned about ICE, you might wanna call your Democratic members of the Senate and tell them to force changes to the agency in exchange for their vote — or even withhold their vote to temporarily shut down ICE.
• Find Your Members in the U.S. Congress

Connect With Us

If you try a good-enough boundary or a small action this week, we’d love to hear what you chose.

Leave us a voicemail at 413-424-GTGE (4843) or find us on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube @gettingtogoodenough. If you enjoyed the episode, please consider sharing the podcast with a friend, and rating or reviewing us on your favorite podcast platform. It really helps others discover the show and means so much to us!

Want More Like This? (Related Episodes)

1. Episode 107: Balancing Discomfort — This episode is from a moment when there was a lot happening in the world, and we talk about how to hold the discomfort and keep moving forward. We share what helped us stay grounded, and how taking one small step can be more sustainable than trying to do everything at once.
2. Episode 108: Ready to Vote? — If voting has ever felt oddly stressful—like you need to do it perfectly or you’ll mess it up—this episode will feel familiar. We get practical about making a simple plan, shrinking the dread, and following through.
3. Episode 264: How to Enjoy Social Media Again — This is the social media episode we mention in today’s conversation. We dig into comparisonitis, doomscrolling, and some very doable ways to curate your feed and set boundaries so you can stay connected without feeling consumed.