Small Actions That Bring Back a Sense of Control

Small actions and moments of slowing down can help bring back a sense of control during stressful seasons of life.

When Life Starts to Feel Emotionally Loud

It is sometimes those days where we feel a little lost and cannot tell what day it is anymore, and then we start to notice feeling overwhelmed and anxious. As a therapist in Torrance, CA, I have worked with many adults who describe how easy it becomes to get lost in their lives until it becomes harder to ignore. Without even realizing it, anxiety has a way of disconnecting us from our emotions. People begin to wonder how to bring more stillness or slowness in their lives, and express a struggle because they can not figure it out.

And the wall that repeatedly shows up is not always the inability to find time, although externally that is often what feels easiest to point to or recognize. Sometimes we can get in our own way because of the discomfort that arises in the body when trying to do things differently than what it has grown used to doing. So, if we are looking to live life differently so it does not feel emotionally loud all the time, it means taking steps toward navigating your emotions in a more compassionate way. One of those ways can be finding small actions that help your body not immediately shift into feelings of loss of control when faced with pressure, overstimulation, and emotional exhaustion.

Why Small Actions Matter More Than You Think

Once we begin to notice or understand how the ways we have been living and coping with stress have led to burnout or ongoing cycles of overwhelm, there can be a sense of urgency to regain control. This can lead to researching more, trying multiple things at once, and going from 0 to 100 in efforts to reduce moments where stress feels consuming.

While the intention and motivation behind this are important, it can also lead to taking on coping skills or grounding tools in ways that feel overwhelming. I have found that many adults lose consistency after the first week because they are trying to take on too much too soon.

Small grounding practices like breathing, reflection, and slowing down can help reduce emotional overwhelm.

That is where small actions that involve understanding your emotional patterns can help reduce anxiety in ways that feel more sustainable. It is about introducing moments of safety back into the body, especially when doing things differently around stress and anxiety. Learning through consistency that you do not always need pressure to be the driving force behind motivation or action.

It is okay if impatience or frustration comes up.

It is important to remind yourself that the impatience is often coming from a place where the body has become used to functioning through overwhelm, urgency, and pressure.

Small Actions That Help You Feel More Grounded

I have found that strength training and Lagree have become places where I feel more centered throughout my work week. It has also been something I had to figure out for myself, what would actually work in helping me create moments of slowness in my day. The Studio (MDR) has been one of those spaces for me, a built-in check-in to notice my breath, become aware of tension, and give myself permission to slow down before moving through the rest of my day.

Especially as a first-generation Latina, this was not something I grew up around within my family system, or even within societal and educational systems.

This is something I also carry into my anxiety therapy practice for adults in Los Angeles. We work toward reducing the pressure and expectations that have kept them stuck in cycles of anxiety and burnout. We explore what keeps them struggling to find time for themselves, what their body needs in order to begin making changes, and what small ways to calm anxiety naturally into their week.

Small Grounding Tool for Anxiety to Incorporate into your week:

The Quiet Struggle: Spotting Hidden Stress

Movement and intentional pauses can help create grounding and emotional steadiness throughout the week.

1. Notice the signs

Racing thoughts, tension, or irritability can be your body’s way of asking for a little extra care.

2. Pause and breathe

Try a slow inhale and a longer exhale — a small reset for your system.

3. Name it

Even a quick “I’m feeling a bit overwhelmed” can create space and clarity.

4. Protect your energy

Take a break, say no, or give yourself permission to move more slowly in your day.

A small check-in can make a big difference. Sometimes all you need is a moment of care to shift how you feel.

Relearning That You Do Not Have to Push Through Everything

This is something I carry into my therapy practice for adults as a therapist in Torrance, CA. We work toward reducing the pressure and expectations that have kept them in cycles of anxiety and burnout. We explore what keeps them stuck in the struggle of finding time for themselves, what their body needs in order to cope with stress during change, and what small actions they can begin taking to bring more grounding into their week and calm anxiety naturally. It is more than learning to have more softness and slowness in life. It is breaking cycles of survival that have been passed down through generations. The pressure to always push through exhaustion, the difficulty of resting without guilt, and learning that slowing down does not mean you are failing or disappointing others.

It is about creating new ways to cope with overwhelm that do not lead to burnout. Building a more self-compassionate relationship with yourself. Increasing confidence that you are able to support yourself through difficult moments.

A Moment to Reflect:

• Take a moment to reflect on what stress has looked like for you lately, physically and emotionally.

• What helps you notice the physical or emotional signs that stress is beginning to build?

• What do you notice about the ways you tend to deal with stress?

• Can you give yourself a moment right now to slow down your breathing and ask yourself what you need?

• What is one small grounding practice you could try this week that feels sustainable and realistic for you?

When Support Can Help You Feel Less Alone

I support adults navigating anxiety, burnout, cultural stress and relationship stress through therapy in Torrance CA and virtual therapy across California.

As a therapist in Torrance CA, I work with adults who are navigating anxiety, uncertainty, burnout, and major life transitions that leave them feeling emotionally exhausted or disconnected from themselves. Together, we create space to understand what is coming up for you while also building small actions that can help bring back a sense of control into your life.

I also provide anxiety therapy in Los Angeles through virtual therapy sessions across California for adults who may not be local to Torrance but are looking for support around anxiety, overwhelm, and burn out.

Therapy for adults who struggle with losing track of the days because life feels emotionally overwhelming. It is not about trying everything in order to get rid of stress or anxiety or the burn out. It is about creating small actions where you can slow down, process what is happening, and learn how to move through life stressors with more self-understanding and compassion.

You do not have to navigate all of this alone.

If you are curious about starting therapy, you can schedule a free consultation to see if working together feels like the right fit.

Ligia Orellana, LMFT (#122659)

I’m an anxiety therapist in Los Angeles, California, certified in LGBTQ+ Affirmative Therapy and Somatic Attachment Therapy. I support first-generation BIPOC and Queer adults who feel the pressure to hold it all together in moving through self-doubt, anxiety, and relationship stress. My work creates space for deeper connection and self-trust through emotional safety and cultural understanding.

Learn more about my work in Torrance or through online therapy, explore specialties like relationship stress and people-pleasing and self-doubt, or visit my About page.