You know that feeling when you’re scrolling through social media and suddenly everything feels… heavy? Wars, climate disasters, political arguments, and people being awful to each other. It’s like the whole world is yelling at once, and somehow you’re supposed to have opinions about all of it.

Here’s what I’ve figured out: I’m done trying to solve problems that are way bigger than me. Instead, I focus on the stuff I can actually change. My friend circle, my habits, my reactions, my choices. That’s it. That’s my zone.

A guy named Henry David Thoreau, who lived about 200 years ago, put it perfectly: “It’s not what you look at that matters, it’s what you see.” Two people can stare at the exact same situation and walk away with entirely different stories about what happened.

Right now, three feelings seem to be following everyone around like annoying younger siblings: burnout, overwhelm, and anxiety. Let me tell you what I think is really going on with each one.

Burnout Isn’t About Working Too Hard

Most people think burnout means you’re just tired from doing too much. But I think it’s actually simpler than that.

Burnout happens when you’re putting energy into something that no longer feels worth it. Maybe you’re staying friends with people who drain you. Maybe you’re in activities that used to be fun but now feel pointless. Maybe you’re working toward goals that don’t actually matter to you.

The fix isn’t to work less. It’s to ask better questions: Why am I doing this? Does this still make sense for me? What would happen if I just… stopped?

Sometimes the answer is that you need to stick with it anyway. But sometimes you discover you’ve been climbing a ladder that’s leaning against the wrong wall.

Overwhelm Isn’t Your Fault

Here’s something adults get wrong all the time: When you feel overwhelmed, they tell you to “manage your time better” or “learn to cope.” Like it’s your fault for not being strong enough.

That’s backwards. The problem isn’t that you’re weak. The problem is that there’s genuinely too much stuff coming at you. Too many notifications, too many choices, too many people wanting your attention, too many things to worry about.

Imagine trying to drink from a fire hose. The problem isn’t that your mouth is too small. The problem is there’s way too much water.

The solution is to turn down the flow. Put your phone in another room for an hour. Take a walk without music or podcasts. Sit somewhere quiet and let your brain rest. Even five minutes helps.

Your job isn’t to become superhuman. Your job is to protect your mental space like it matters. Because it really does.

Anxiety Is More Complicated Now

Anxiety used to be simpler. People worried about tests, jobs, relationships — real things in their actual lives.

Now we’re expected to worry about everything everywhere all at once. Climate change, the economy, politics, our level of success, and popularity all play a role in making the right choices for our future. Plus, everything costs more, while allowances, stipends, and full-time and part-time jobs pay the same.

On top of that, we’re constantly told we’re not doing enough. Not recycling enough, not studying enough, not being grateful enough, not caring enough about the right causes.

No wonder everyone feels anxious. We’re carrying worries that previous generations never had to think about.

Here’s what helps me: I remind myself that feeling frustrated when trying to change things is totally normal. It’s NOT a sign that something’s wrong with you. It truly IS how change works.

Instead of fighting against reality because it’s not what I want, I try to work with what’s actually happening. I can’t fix the economy, but I can learn to live within a budget. I can’t stop climate change by myself, but I can make choices that feel right to me.

The Power of Seeing Differently

Thoreau had another quote I love: “What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.”

This isn’t some cheesy motivational poster thing. It’s actually quite practical. You have way more control over your life than the news makes it seem.

You can’t fix the whole world. Neither can I. But you can change how you see your corner of it. And that small shift — from “I’m helpless” to “I have some choices here” — changes everything.

Maybe that means unfriending people who make you feel bad about yourself. Perhaps it means spending less time on apps that stress you out. Maybe it means trying something new instead of complaining about being bored.

The world will continue to be complicated, messy, and sometimes scary. But you don’t have to carry all of it. Your job is to figure out your small piece and make it a little better.

That’s not just enough. It’s everything.