3 Critical Questions to Ask When Life Feels Overwhelming

How to stop spiraling, reclaim your power, and see the bigger picture

Sep 23, 2025

3 Critical Questions to Ask Yourself When Life Feels Overwhelming

One of my go-to strategies for finding answers in any situation is asking myself critical questions.

In times of stress, anxiety, overwhelm, frustration, struggle, or fear, our natural tendency is to focus on what’s going wrong. The problem? The more we focus on it, the more our brain obsesses and spirals—until all we can see is the problem itself. And that only makes the situation feel worse.

Whenever I feel this way, I pause and ask myself a question. This simple practice helps me take a breath, shift my focus from the problem to the solution, and see the bigger picture. It also gives me back a sense of control when I might otherwise feel powerless.

These questions work like magic to bring clarity, guidance, and action steps that help us reclaim our power.

1. What Do I Control?

This question is everything. It’s the fastest way to break free from a negative tailspin and start focusing on what’s within your control versus what’s not.

Ask it whenever you feel overwhelmed, helpless, stuck in victim mode, like everything is spinning out of control, or when a relationship feels toxic or draining.

How to use it:
Grab a pen and create two columns:

Column A: What about this is within my control?
Column B: What is outside my control?

Start brainstorming. You’ll always find things to list in both.

Remember:

You do not control other people or their actions.
You do control whether you allow someone to treat you badly (that’s called boundaries, and they’re your responsibility).
You don’t control unexpected setbacks.
You do control how you respond to them.

Once you’ve listed at least two items in the “what I control” column, take action. Even if the only thing you can control is your own attitude and energy, shift your mindset immediately. Use mottos, mantras, or write out the outcome you want.

Be relentless in redirecting your focus, and you’ll soon find the problem feels more manageable, momentum starts moving, and things begin to shift.

2. Am I Being a Good Steward of What I Have?

This question is especially powerful if you’re facing financial stress or if you’re ready to manifest more abundance.

I believe the Universe delivers incredible financial opportunities to those who put in the work, set clear intentions, and live with gratitude while practicing an abundance mindset. But we also have to show good faith first. If we expect new financial results, we must make better financial decisions.

Ask yourself:

Where am I wasting money, and how do I stop it now?
Where am I overpaying?
Am I paying unnecessary fees because I’ve ignored small details?
Where is money slipping out the door, and how do I close that door?
How can I increase income and decrease expenses?

Even if you don’t have extra to invest, you can start with $20 on Acorns or Robinhood. Skip Starbucks once a week and invest instead. Prove that you’re responsible with money so the Universe can trust you with more.

Here’s the truth: if you can’t manage what you have now, more money won’t fix it. You’ll just find yourself in the same place with a bigger paycheck. Start being a good steward today—show gratitude, make better decisions, and build wealth one intentional step at a time.

3. Have I Lost Sight of the Vision?

Whenever I feel frustrated, uninspired, or like I’m hustling without results, I ask: Have I lost sight of the vision?

It’s easy to get so caught up in our current reality that we forget why we’re doing the work in the first place.

I always tell my clients: you must focus equally on today and your future dream outcomes.

If you don’t spend time visualizing what life will be like once you reach your goals, everyday struggles can weigh you down. We all need a reminder of the bigger picture—the payoff, how it will feel, and how it will change our lives. That’s what keeps us motivated.

Ask yourself:

What’s this all for?
Where am I going?
What is waiting for me when I reach my goals?
What will my life look like in five years?
How will my life change, and why will that feel so good?

Write it out. Daydream about it. Reconnect with your vision, and let that reminder lift you out of the funk.

These three questions—What do I control? Am I being a good steward of what I have? Have I lost sight of the vision?—are the same ones I ask my VIP coaching clients. Time and again, they bring clarity, confidence, and control where before there was only overwhelm.

I hope they help you find the answers you’ve been searching for.

If this resonated, share it with someone who needs it—and tap the heart at the top or bottom of your screen to let me know. Thanks for your support!

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