A client came to our session recently and shared a big win after a few months of coaching.

They'd gotten to the end of a recent day and started thinking about everything they still needed to do. They weren't focusing just on tomorrow's tasks, but things that needed to get done weeks out. Their mind was spinning with all of it, and they felt tired and overwhelmed.

Then they caught themselves.

They stopped and asked: "Wait, what did I actually accomplish today?"

They'd finished a big project, had a productive meeting, made progress on something they'd been putting off and even managed to make a quick healthy meal. Actually, it had been a really good day.

They shared that they acknowledged themselves for what they'd done. And immediately, they said within seconds, they felt better.

Here's what's important: Nothing about their circumstances had changed.

The to-do list was exactly the same. The future tasks were still there. Nothing external had shifted.

We discussed together in our session that the only thing that changed was the story they were telling themselves.

Story 1: "I have so much to do. I'm behind. I'll never catch up."

Story 2: "Look at what I accomplished today. I'm making real progress."

This was the same day, but a different story. And this led to a completely different feeling. And from that feeling, a completely different next step could emerge.

This is something I see all the time with clients - and honestly, with myself too.

We get caught in a story about where we are, what's wrong, how much we've done or not done. And that story shapes everything. It shapes how we feel as well as what we do next. This story affects whether we can even see possibility.

The work isn't always about changing circumstances. Sometimes it's about noticing the story we're telling and asking: Is this helping me or getting in my way?

I'm not talking about being overly positive (i.e. toxic positivity). I'm not suggesting you pretend everything's fine when it's not.

I'm talking about really looking at what the facts are. From here, you can choose a story that's both true AND supportive.

What is almost always happening is this: You're telling yourself one story. But there are other stories that are equally true.

My client could have kept telling the "I'm so behind" story. That was true - there WAS a lot to do.

But "I made real progress today" was also true. And that story opened up space to breathe, to see what was actually working, and from there to take the next aligned step.

The question isn't "What's THE true story?" It's "What story will support me here?"

So how do you notice when you're caught in an unhelpful story?

Physical cues: Tight chest. Overwhelm. Mind spinning. That feeling of "too much."

Mental cues: "Always" and "never" language. Catastrophizing. Seeing only what's wrong. Perhaps a voice that you recognize - one you wouldn't use with anyone else but yourself.

The pattern: Feeling stuck, frozen, confused or pushing yourself harder out of panic.

When you notice any of those cues (and usually there's one that is our 'favorite'), pause. Just for a second.

Ask yourself: What story am I telling myself right now?

Then ask: What else is true?

You're not asking, "What should I think instead?" or "What's a positive way to think about this?"

You're asking yourself: "What else is actually true that I'm not seeing right now?"

It could be that you didn't finish everything, but you did finish something important. Or that you don't have the whole path figured out, but you do know your next step. It could be that maybe things feel uncertain, but you've navigated uncertainty before and it's clear you can do it again.

That shift, from one true story to another, more supportive true story, changes everything.

That doesn't mean all your problems are solved or that all the hard things will disappear.

But the shift opens up space and lets you breathe. It helps you see what's possible instead of only what's wrong.

And from this space, you can take your next aligned step.

So it's not about fixing everything or having it all figured out.

It's just noticing the story (when you hear/feel those signs/cues) and then choosing one that supports you in moving forward.

What story are you telling yourself right now? And is it helping you or getting in your way?

Enjoy the exploration.