Photo by Eleanor Smith
Today is World Mental Health Day. The theme this year is overwhelm – “when global events and relentless bad news become too much.”
But I’m not going to write about that.
Not because I’m indifferent to what’s happening in the world, but because that’s not what overwhelm means for me – not right here, right now.
For me, overwhelm is personal
Photo by Eleanor Smith
It’s the endless to-do lists and daily chores that never seem to end.
It’s juggling shift work, my business, my creative photography and writing projects, and still trying to find space for my personal life and interests.
So many balls in the air – and I’m still learning how to prioritise better, to lighten that heavy feeling of “too much.”
The tip that helps me most
One I practice every single day is this: Focus on what you can control and the positive actions you can take.
What grounds me most are my meditation and stoic practices. Every day, I find at least a little time to connect with my breath and my body – even if it’s just for a few minutes. I reflect before and after my day around stoic themes, what I can learn, what I can let go of, and what I can do better tomorrow.
These small routines help me find balance, and I’m constantly reminded they deserve more space in my life.
Let in joy
Photo by Eleanor Smith
I also find it so important to do something every day that brings me joy. I even have that reminder written on a card pinned to my SCRUM board!
Today was a long day of many online meetings, and I didn’t have the energy to go out into the forest or the mountains like I often do. Instead, I opened my photo library and revisited images I took earlier this year – sculptures at the Vigeland parc in Oslo, and trees mirrored in water during a countryside walk.
I spent some time playing with colour, contrast, and exposure, creating different moods with simple edits. And it brought me joy and peace.
There’s something calming and deeply satisfying about creating with nature as your muse. Creative moments like these bring me peace and remind me of what really matters.
And it’s okay to feel that way
On World Mental Health Day, I want to remind myself (and anyone reading this). It’s okay to pause. It’s okay to feel overwhelmed.
It’s okay that this blog post isn’t perfect, that I prepared it too late. What matters is that I showed up for myself and wrote it. I even have some pictures to go with it.
I find peace in small, quiet moments of creativity and presence. Want to see more pictures from this series?
How do you look after your mental health? What brings you balance when life feels too much?
