M.L. Olmstead

I did a shorter post on this a few days ago, but it inspired me to write more on the topic. Life is hectic. A combination of factors have led me to feeling like I have lived an entire year in just a few short months. When you hit a certain point in your life, I am not sure that ever really goes away. Not without intention. Hence the point of this post.

In the modern time especially, there is no end to the amount of stimulus being pressed onto our brains. When the input is too much, there are a few things I retreat to. Obviously writing is a huge one. When I sit down to write, I can get any number of thoughts and feelings out of my crowded brain and onto a piece of paper. When I am overwhelmed, I often choose to hand write in a notebook instead of typing because I have to slow down to do it. It takes longer to write a sentence. I might have to sit back and and really think about what I want to say, because I won’t have a backspace to clear the words away.

There are times that writing is not a great outlet because its still work to do. In those cases, I think singing is a great way to let go of stress. You don’t have to be good at it to get benefits. If you are singing from your diaphragm, it requires a great deal of air in and out of your lungs. And the very act of breathing deeply and releasing the sound can be incredibly detoxing. I included a short explaining how to do it.

Finally, the expression “touch grass” is actually very good advice. If you are mentally spinning, just step outside and sit down in the grass. Maybe even go barefoot. Take some deep breaths and listen to the sounds of nature.

There are probably countless other ways to detox from stimulus, but the most important point is this…you have to intentionally seek it out. For some reason, its hard for many people to relax naturally. We have to force ourselves. So I offer the advice that if you are feeling overwhelmed and stressed to the max, prioritize the recharge in the same way you would a meal or sleep or even breathing air.

I have my first big event in less than a week along with the internet launch on June 21, 2026. Hmm I guess I better take my own advice…