Last week, flying from Miami to the West Coast, I caught myself in an old nervous system pattern, the one that whispers, “You have so much to do.”
It’s subtle, but it can creep up quickly, and it’s powerful. That thought immediately created an anxious energy inside me, narrowing my focus and shrinking my creativity and effectiveness. It reminded me how fast “I have a lot on my plate” can morph into “I am overwhelmed.”
The truth?
I didn’t have more to do than usual.
I was just feeling busy.
I didn’t have more to do than usual.
I was just feeling busy.
That feeling, for me, is years of conditioning I’ve worked hard to break—the chronic, daily overactivation of my nervous system, coupled with the pressure I put on myself and the desire to be accepted and approved. Maybe you can relate. It’s built in you; it’s for sure built in me, in my subconscious.
And left unchecked, even after all the work I’ve done to unwind that old patterned conditioning, it steals the very things that make me effective as a leader: clarity, innovation, calm, and presence.
Yet I also know I’ve built new neuropathways. I’ve built disciplines, systems, and standards that drive my life and leadership. For years, when this feeling would arise, I’d tell myself: “There is plenty of time and money for everything.”
Simple, and wildly effective. It shifts me from scarcity (not enough time, money, energy, staff) to grounded, focused attention.
So last week on the plane, I took four deep breaths, longer exhales than inhales, and did three things:
- Gratitude: I thanked God for the opportunities He’s blessed us with, me, my husband, and our team at The Amplified Life Company, and smiled at the impact we’re making together.
- Brain dump → plan: I emptied every to-do into my journal, then integrated it into my calendar and Asana based on the work only I can do, my 20%.
- Single-task focus: I returned to the one thing right in front of me.
I felt deep appreciation that I recognized that old “busy” feeling quickly and realigned.
The truth that most people miss is that we toss around the phrase, “I’ve just been so busy.”
But busy isn’t a fact, it’s a state of mind. It’s how your nervous system interprets motion without meaning, effort without alignment, or urgency without clarity.
You can run a company, lead a team, train for a marathon, parent, and travel weekly and not feel busy. You can also have one meeting on your calendar and feel overwhelmed.
Because busyness isn’t what’s on your plate, it’s how you’re holding it.
- When you’re busy, your attention is fragmented. You’re scanning, reacting, juggling.
- When you’re focused, you’re present. You’re doing the next right thing with full attention and grounded energy.
That’s the shift: chaotic motion → conscious momentum.
When that internal buzz of “I don’t have enough time” shows up, try this three-question reset:
- What’s actually true right now? (Not the story, the facts.)
- What’s the next most important thing? (Not ten things, the next thing.)
- Can I do it calmly, not urgently? (Fast is fine; frantic is optional.)
Or pair it with my go-to affirmation + four deep breaths:
“There’s plenty of time and money for everything.”
“There’s plenty of time and money for everything.”
Do this and watch how fast “busy” dissolves into clarity.
High achievers don’t need more hours. We need more presence in the hours we already have.
Leaders who live and lead Above the Line aren’t the ones who do the most, they’re the ones who do what matters most without losing themselves in the process.
So today, instead of saying “I’m busy,” try:
“I’m focused.”
“I’m present.”
“I’m doing the next right thing.”
“I’m focused.”
“I’m present.”
“I’m doing the next right thing.”
When you lead from that place, your schedule doesn’t shrink; your capacity expands.
What’s your go-to strategy to let go of busyness and return to clarity?
Drop it in the comments or email me at hello@carmenohling.com. I’d love to hear it and share a few back with the community.