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Dr. Lisa Marie Bobby is a licensed psychologist, licensed marriage and family therapist, board-certified coach, AAMFT clinical supervisor, host of the Love, Happiness, and Success Podcast and founder of Growing Self.
If you wake up already tired, feel like you’re running all day just to stay behind, and collapse into bed wondering where your time and energy went, you’re not “bad at life.” You’re experiencing overwhelm, and your overwhelm is trying to tell you something. If stress and emotional strain have become familiar companions, it may help to explore our coaching and counseling services for additional support.
In this episode of the Love, Happiness and Success podcast, I sat down with author and Afro-minimalist Christine Platt, whose new book Less Is Liberation: Finding Freedom From a Life of Overwhelm invites us to look closely at how our habits, patterns, and narratives keep us stuck. Our conversation was so rich that I wanted to expand on it here – especially if you’re craving more peace, clarity, and a life that helps you feel happier rather than simply “functioning.”
Let’s look at overwhelm, declutter-ing your life from the inside out, and how to create the kind of well-being that allows you to love yourself through your daily choices.
Overwhelm Is a Signal, Not a Character Flaw
Overwhelm often builds quietly. Christine shared that she lived in a constant state of overwhelm for years, appearing fine and capable, yet living with high stage two hypertension she didn’t realize she had. Research supports this connection: chronic overwhelm and stressful home environments correlate with shifts in mood and cortisol patterns (Saxbe & Repetti, 2010).
A simple doctor’s visit turned into an emergency moment. She felt okay. She drove there herself. Yet her body was loudly saying, No more.
If overwhelm feels familiar to you, it may help to read more about how hidden emotional forces shape your reactions and responsibilities in Invisible Influence: What’s Really Driving Your Thoughts, Feelings & Behaviors?.
Overwhelm and the Five “Personal Wells” of Well-Being
Christine describes the five foundations of wellness – or what she calls her personal wells: physical, mental, emotional, social, and spiritual. When even one of these wells runs dry, overwhelm rises. When several are empty, it becomes difficult to manage anything with clarity.
Environmental overwhelm contributes, too. Research shows that household clutter lowers well-being and increases cognitive load (Rogers & Hart, 2021).
Checking in with your wells helps you manage stress before it turns into burnout. If you’re exploring how to rebalance your life, you may find guidance in Finding Balance or Burnout Prevention and Recovery.
Why Overwhelm Hits Women Especially Hard
Many women live with intense emotional labor and an invisible mental load — tracking schedules, anticipating needs, smoothing emotions, and carrying the weight of “keeping everything together.”
This kind of overwhelm ties directly into old beliefs about being helpful, self-sacrificing, or endlessly productive, even when your well-being suffers. If guilt shows up when you try to rest or set limits, you may appreciate How to Say No to Others… and Yes to Yourself.
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Declutter as Liberation, Not Aesthetic
Christine’s decluttering journey wasn’t about minimalism trends. It was about liberation. She realized she had far more than she needed, and letting go became a path toward emotional clarity.
Minimalism and intentional consumption are linked to improved well-being, reduced stress, and clearer emotional functioning (Jain, Gupta & Verma, 2024). Decluttering can help you feel happier because your environment and your mind become easier to manage.
If you want to simplify without pressure or perfectionism, try How to Simplify Your Life or How to Organize Your Life.
The Psychology of Ownership: Why We Hold On
Christine walks through the emotional reasons behind accumulation – scarcity memories, nostalgia, aspirations, identity, and emotional protection. Understanding these roots helps you declutter with compassion instead of judgment.
If emotional overwhelm is tied to work or caregiving, you may relate to How to Deal With a Bully Boss or How to Find Work-Life Balance to Prevent Parental Burnout.
Limiting Beliefs, Messengers, and Redefining “Selfish”
Much of our overwhelm comes from beliefs inherited from parents, culture, or circumstance – the “messengers” who shaped our early ideas about worth, effort, productivity, and goodness.
Christine reframed the word “selfish” entirely. She realized she had never prioritized her needs, yet believed deeply that doing so was wrong. This shift – allowing herself to love herself through boundaries, rest, and intention – changed everything.
A related concept appears in Cultivating Contentment, which explores how mindset and meaning contribute to emotional well-being.
Overwhelm by Circumstance
Sometimes overwhelm comes not from overcommitting but from life upheaval – divorce, illness, job loss, financial strain, caregiving. Christine lived through a period of “minimalism by necessity,” which humbled and clarified what truly mattered.
If your energy feels scattered or depleted, you may resonate with Stop Wasting Your Energy: How to Focus on What Actually Matters or Suffering in Silence: Why Men Are Feeling Lost and Alone.
Inner Work First, Declutter Second
Decluttering only “sticks” when it’s grounded in inner clarity. Without understanding your beliefs, guilt, or attachment, your space often fills right back up.
Christine’s process – acknowledge, forgive, let go, pay it forward – supports lasting change that helps you feel happier and reconnect with your values. If stress tends to take over, these practices pair beautifully with the tools in How to Stay Stress Free.
Guest Feature: Christine Platt
Learn more about Christine’s work in personal liberation, storytelling, and intentional living at iamchristineplatt.com. Her approach encourages us to declutter our stories, not just our spaces, so we can live with more clarity and love ourselves through every season.
If You’re Feeling Overwhelmed, You Deserve Support
If this post feels a little too familiar – if overwhelm is shaping how you think, feel, and move through your days – you don’t have to face it alone. Our team specializes in helping people manage overwhelm, rebuild emotional strength, and reconnect with themselves.
Schedule a consultation to get matched with the right therapist or coach. You deserve a life that feels lighter, more intentional, and aligned with your well-being – a life where you can manage overwhelm gently and truly love yourself in the way you care for your time, your space, and your heart.
xoxo,
Dr. Lisa Marie Bobby
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