The Weight of Overwhelm: Learning to Breathe Again

In this episode, business coach and consultant Jaime Bancroft Gennaro explores the quiet, heavy truth of overwhelm—that state where everything feels like too much, but admitting it feels like failure.

She talks about why we resist calling it what it is, how control and perfectionism keep us stuck, and what it really takes to come back to calm. This is an invitation to stop proving, stop pushing, and start giving yourself permission to rest.

If you’ve been holding it all together for too long, this one’s for you.

In This Episode, Jaime Covers:

• Why we get defensive when someone says we’re overwhelmed

• How control, perfectionism, and fear of failure feed overwhelm

• The emotional and physical signs that you’re approaching burnout

• How to use “hard no’s” and “wholehearted yeses” to protect your energy

• The myth of the grind and why rest is a powerful business strategy

• Simple ways to release pressure and build resilience

Key Takeaways

✨ Overwhelm isn’t failure—it’s feedback. It’s your body and mind asking for relief. ✨ You can’t control your way to peace. Control often masks fear, not strength. ✨ Saying no is an act of self-respect. A “wholehearted yes” matters more than ten resentful yeses. ✨ Rest is not optional. It’s how you reset your nervous system and sustain your success. ✨ You don’t have to prove anything. Your worth isn’t tied to how much you can handle.

Reflection Questions

• Where am I saying “yes” when I really mean “no”?

• What story am I telling myself about slowing down?

• What can I drop—just for now—to make space for calm?

Resources & Mentions

• Practica Consulting — business coaching for grounded, intentional growth

• Related episode: The Art of Effortless Consistency 

• Coaching Inquiries

Music by: Luca Gennaro