Skip to main content

Tag: emotional wellbeing

Feeling Overwhelmed in Education? Learning to Listen to Your Nervous System

Written by Hannah Young on . Posted in Overwhelm and Burnout. No Comments on Feeling Overwhelmed in Education? Learning to Listen to Your Nervous System

How did it take me until my late 30s to really understand what my nervous system was trying to tell me in any given moment?

In the final couple of years of my role as an Attendance Officer in a busy, challenging inner-city school, I would tell my boss I was having a moment whenever I was feeling “fizzy”. This wasn’t a code word; I literally felt fizzy. My body would be sparking, my ears ringing, and my heart – not racing exactly – but certainly getting a bit of a gallop on.

This would often happen after a particularly busy, unpredictable morning. Perhaps there had been a safeguarding issue, a difficult parent conversation, a child in crisis, or maybe a student had told me to F*** off just to round things off nicely. Over time, I learned to recognise that feeling and, importantly, what it meant. I knew my nervous system was overloaded and that if I could take ten minutes in a quiet space, I stood a much better chance of getting through the rest of the day.

The thing is, this awareness didn’t arrive overnight. I’d spent the best part of eight years working in that same school without really being able to tune into what my body was telling me in real time. Instead, I would push through, keep going, and then wonder why I found myself asleep on the sofa at seven o’clock in the evening after inhaling a party pack of onion rings and a couple of iced buns.

Looking back, I can see that my response to stress was both delayed and unhelpful. At the time, though, I think I simply assumed that this was what working in education felt like. I thought it was normal to spend most of the term running on adrenaline and then limp my way towards the next school holiday hoping it would somehow be enough to recharge me.

It’s a pattern I now see in so many of the women I work with. They are often highly capable, deeply caring professionals who have become so used to carrying responsibility that they no longer notice the signs that their nervous system has been struggling for months, or even years. They tell themselves they’re tired because work is busy, overwhelmed because life is demanding, emotional because they’re not coping very well. What they don’t realise is that their bodies have been trying to get their attention all along.

When I eventually moved into a pastoral role, the work was still incredibly stressful, but I had a little more freedom to step away when I needed to. I could leave the office, find a quiet space and actually listen to what was happening internally rather than automatically overriding it. It was probably the first time I began to understand that stress wasn’t just something happening in my head. My body was involved in the conversation too.

That understanding has become one of the foundations of the coaching work I do today with overwhelmed and burnt-out women, particularly those working in education. Before we start talking about goals, confidence, boundaries or life changes, we spend time understanding the nervous system. We explore what overwhelm feels like in their body, how stress responses have shaped their behaviour over time, and why they may find themselves stuck in patterns that no longer serve them.

Because when you begin to understand your nervous system, so much starts to make sense. The exhaustion. The irritability. The emotional eating. The inability to switch off. The feeling that you’re constantly behind, even when you’re doing more than enough. What often looks like laziness, failure or a lack of resilience is, in reality, a nervous system that has been carrying too much for too long.

I’ve found that real change becomes possible when we stop judging those responses and start understanding them instead. Once we can recognise what our bodies have been trying to tell us, we can respond differently. We can begin to meet our needs earlier, create healthier boundaries, and move away from simply surviving each week.

For many women experiencing burnout in education, that shift is where recovery begins. Not by trying harder, becoming more productive or finding a better planner, but by learning how to listen.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed, exhausted or stuck in survival mode, coaching can help you understand what’s really going on beneath the surface and reconnect with the version of yourself that feels calm, clear and capable. I offer life coaching for women in education both online and in Leeds, supporting clients to recover from burnout, rebuild trust in themselves and create a life that feels sustainable again.

Why are so many women on the edge of burnout?

Emotional Wellbeing Coaching: Reduce Stress and Overwhelm

Written by Hannah Young on . Posted in Mindset and Patterns. 1 Comment on Emotional Wellbeing Coaching: Reduce Stress and Overwhelm

Many women I work with tell me they feel overwhelmed, stuck, or constantly stressed. Life can feel heavy, and managing emotional wellbeing often becomes a daily challenge. Emotional wellbeing coaching provides tools and support to help you manage stress, reduce overwhelm, and feel more grounded in your life.

When stress and overwhelm build up, it can affect not only your mood but also your energy, relationships, and ability to focus. Nervous system regulation is often an important part of this work. Through personalised techniques like guided meditations, breathing exercises, and grounding practices, coaching helps you reconnect with your body, calm your mind, and gain clarity even during challenging times.

Emotional wellbeing coaching is not just about coping in the moment. It is about creating sustainable strategies to support yourself every day. Together, we identify the patterns that keep you feeling stuck, explore practical tools that work for you, and develop personalised practices you can use both in sessions and at home. Over time, these small but consistent actions build resilience, reduce stress, and improve overall wellbeing.

The goal is to feel more in control of your emotional state and empowered to navigate life with ease. You learn to recognise when stress is building, respond to it effectively, and prevent overwhelm from taking over. By prioritising your emotional wellbeing, you can show up more fully in your work, relationships, and personal life.

If you are ready to manage stress, reduce overwhelm, and feel more grounded, emotional wellbeing coaching can provide the guidance and tools you need. Reach out today to explore how personalised meditations, grounding exercises, and practical strategies can help you restore balance and create lasting calm in your life.

Woman enjoying sunshine and rest after overcoming overwhelm

The Practice of Gratitude – The ultimate science-backed life hack

Written by Hannah Young on . Posted in Mindset and Patterns. No Comments on The Practice of Gratitude – The ultimate science-backed life hack

When we think of ‘practicing gratitude’, we might be quick to make judgements about journals, vague mantras or overly positive people who seem to never tire of the trials of the world. But what you may not know is that the benefits of practicing gratitude are well documented in scientific research. They go way beyond simply noticing all the great things about your life – in fact, the benefits cover all areas of our wellbeing…physical, social, and emotional.

The idea of practicing gratitude is historically and culturally quite universal. All the major religions teach that gratitude to a Creator will bring more abundance and, whether societies have practiced gratitude towards themselves, ‘Mother Nature’, the universe or God, they have done so for centuries. However, it seems only in the past few years that the practice of gratitude has become a ‘buzzword’, perhaps due to the boom in the promotion of self-care, self-love, manifestation, and wellbeing. Gratitude journals, statements of gratitude and manifesting more of the good we have in our lives have all become part of this wellbeing cultural phenomenon. Some people might dismiss it as part of a passing trend. But centuries of practice and hundreds of studies can’t be wrong!

What is gratitude?

Gratitude is an emotion – a feeling – associated with giving thanks and showing appreciation. This could be in the form of literally thanking others for their support, help, kind words or gifts; consciously acknowledging the goodness in our lives; thanking God; or even just recognising those little human interactions that restore your faith that there is good in the world. When we truly practice gratitude, we do so even at the times in our lives where it seems hard to find things to be grateful for. During times or stress and challenge, we can still acknowledge and be thankful for so much – even if this is just the roof over our heads and food on our tables.

What does Science say about gratitude?

Put simply, Science acknowledges gratitude as a bit of a superpower! Neuroplasticity is our brain’s ability to change and ‘rewire’ neural pathways throughout our life. When we practice gratitude by thanking others and acknowledging the things we are grateful for, our brain’s attention is drawn towards the positives in our lives. Over time, this new way of thinking, noticing, and attending to the positive becomes second nature to our brains. Not only this, but gratitude stimulates the neurotransmitters responsible for regulating stress responses and emotions, such as serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine.

All of this magical power taking place in our brains has a wonderful impact on our lives. Research has found that gratitude improves sleep, helps to reduce depression and anxiety, regulates stress, and even reduces pain. Not only that, but gratitude can help people overcome grief, build resilience, manage anxiety disorders, and increases the feeling of joy and happiness in our lives.

How can we practice gratitude?

There are many gratitude meditations and exercises widely available online. But, if you’d like to start now, take a look at some of the gratitude practices below.

  1. Gratitude list. Create a table with two columns. On the left side, write ‘I am grateful to…’ and on the right side, write ‘for’. Now, think of the people in your life to whom you give thanks. For example, ‘I am grateful to my best friend for giving me a shoulder to cry on’. These can we as small or as big as you’d like. It could even be something like, ‘I am grateful to the car park attendant who smiles at me every morning’.
  2. Gratitude visit. Can you think of someone who does so much for you, but you’ve never really told them how much you appreciate them? Well, pay them a visit! Visit them specifically for the purpose of telling them how thankful you are for everything they do for you.
  3. Compliments/challenges journaling. Sketch out two boxes on a piece of paper or in your journal. In one box, write down ‘Compliments I would like to pay myself today’ and in the other box, write ‘Challenges I’m facing today’. Then fill these boxes with the compliments you deserve such as ‘I look really smart and professional in my outfit today’ or ‘I was really patient waiting in line this morning’ or ‘I really made people laugh in that seminar’. Then, look at the challenges. This could be ‘I struggled to get focussed this afternoon’ or ‘I was so anxious around those new colleagues’. As the days go by, reflect on how much you have to be appreciative of yourself, even in the face of challenges every day.
  4. Gratitude photo challenge. You can do this for yourself or even post this on social media to share with your family and friends. Every day, take a photo of something you are grateful for. This could be your morning cup of coffee, a sunny day, a college acceptance letter – any moment, big or small, that makes you feel thankful.
  5. Volunteer, donate, or give back. Demonstrate your gratitude for all you have in life by giving back. You can do this by volunteering your time, donating money or your old belongings to good causes, or giving back with little acts of kindness towards those around you.

 

And finally, we really do get more of what we notice. Even if the practice of gratitude seems tough at first, then just start small. Acknowledge the little things and your brain will make room for more. Remember that we can cultivate real happiness in ourselves, our relationships and our communities by beginning with gratitude. And, whilst I’m here, let me take this opportunity to thank you for reading, and giving me the chance to share.