Mindfulness for the Overloaded Brain: Why We All Need It

Genie Love • March 18, 2025

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I think every organization should offer some form of mindfulness instruction and practice. We all need it. There is just way too much noise and stress in our lives—worries about our kids, our aging parents, the economy and job market, national and international politics... There’s also an overwhelming amount of information about what we should be doing for our mental and physical health, and no time to do it all. On top of that, we stress about our personal screen time (and that of those we care about). It’s endless.


And if you’re neurodivergent, racing and spiraling thoughts often compound due to the way your brain works. They’re louder. And you may worry about being found out at work or struggling to mask your challenges. It’s like turning the volume on these stressors way up. (Check out my latest Neurodiversity Insights in 20 to learn more about sensory overwhelm.)


Key Components of Mindfulness (according to Perplexity):

  • Awareness: Being fully present and attentive to one's experiences.
  • Nonjudgmental Observation: Observing thoughts and feelings without evaluating them.
  • Acceptance: Embracing experiences without resistance or attachment.
  • Present-Moment Focus: Concentrating on the current moment rather than dwelling on the past or worrying about the future.


According to me:

  • Quieting your brain, thoughts, and emotions.
  • Getting out of fight, flight, or freeze mode so you can decide the next best steps to take.


I’m not talking about 20-30 minute meditation sessions every day that feel overwhelming... another thing to fit into your busy life. I’m talking about 1-2 minute mini-sessions throughout your day that bring you back to the present, over and over, until you learn to recognize when your thoughts are spiraling and have strategies to quiet them. So you can choose where you want your attention to go. So you can tell those thoughts: Not now.


It’s not easy. It takes effort. But at this point, the research is pretty clear—mindfulness has significant benefits. And I believe it should be available to everyone.


Even as I have been writing this, I got some bad news. And it’s spiraling around in my head, threatening to derail my day. And I have things to do. So now, I get to practice... all day. Every time I feel disappointment start to spiral, I’ll take note of it, feel it, remind myself that it’s okay to feel disappointed, not push it away, and then take the next step forward—over and over and over.


Who doesn’t need help with this?

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By Genie Love • April 14, 2025
I’ve just felt a little off-center this past month. Some things have come up in my personal life that have thrown me a bit. I'm feeling a little shaken as I learn about Internal Family Systems (IFS) and digging deeper into some of the choices I make. I’ve also intentionally put myself in a beginner’s role in a few areas of my life. After two decades of being a well-respected teacher, I’m now a beginner at corporate consulting—learning marketing, sales, and business development. I’m also a beginner at Taekwondo, practicing in a room with black belts...from high school students to people in their 60s who’ve been training their whole lives. There’s so much to learn, and so many mistakes to make. Maybe you can relate? Those times when you feel like you’re off your game and just trying to manage the overwhelm and get back to baseline. Sometimes my coaching clients feel a little off-center. They might be coming to terms with a new diagnosis, and it’s bringing a flood of old patterns and behaviors up for reexamination. Others have hit their personal threshold of overwhelm and feel frozen. Some are coming out of a long “meltdown” phase, trying to find themselves again...or maybe for the first time. And you might not even know this is happening with someone on your team. Maybe they’re so good at masking or pushing through that you don’t recognize the signs of overwhelm—until they can’t take it anymore. And by then, it might show up as an emotional moment at work… or a quiet decision to leave. Here’s what I teach when people are feeling off: At the very minimum, what do you need to do to have a baseline successful day? Not your ideal day. Not your most productive day. Just the minimum. Here are a couple of things on my personal list: Morning journaling . Oddly, for someone who doesn’t love writing, I really look forward to getting up earlier than everyone else and getting my thoughts out. Even if just for a few minutes. Cyclical breathing breaks throughout the day. They’re short, they’re easy, and they’re active. It makes me feel like I’ve done something good for my mental health. A walk outside. Even a few minutes just to feel the air on my face. Prioritizing the top things I must get done for work—and time-blocking them. And... surprise! Here’s what doesn’t make my baseline list: Meditation. I have an app I love. I know it’s good for me. But on some days, I just can’t make myself stop moving and do it. And that’s okay. My baseline list has to be healthy and achievable. So, how about you? I bet your list looks different from mine. Maybe just pause for a minute and ask...What are the small but meaningful things that help you feel like you’ve had a baseline successful day? And how can you use this strategy to support your team members who may be struggling whether it's visible or invisible?
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