When Life Feels Normal…and Not Normal at All

When Life Feels Normal…and Not Normal at All

A lot of people are walking around right now holding a strange contradiction.

Life is continuing. Work deadlines. Errands. Family responsibilities. The routine stuff still gets done.

And emotionally, something feels unsettled. Heavy. A little disconnected.

You might notice thoughts like:

Why does it feel wrong to just go about my day?

How can I laugh or plan or enjoy things when so much feels uncertain?

Why do I feel guilty for living my life normally?

If any of that sounds familiar, here’s the part I want you to hear clearly.

You’re not broken. You’re responding like a human.

Why the Nervous System Is Struggling Right Now

Our nervous systems are built to scan for safety and predictability. When the world feels unstable, even if the threat isn’t happening directly to us, our bodies still register it.

Uncertainty alone is stressful. Ongoing uncertainty is exhausting.

Constant exposure to distressing news, economic pressure, global conflict, or just the general sense that things feel shaky can show up as:

• A low-grade sense of tension or unease

• Trouble concentrating or staying present

• Emotional numbness or emotional overload

• Irritability, fatigue, or a quiet sense of dread

• Guilt for feeling okay or enjoying moments of calm

This isn’t weakness. It’s biology.

Your nervous system doesn’t make neat distinctions between “this is happening to me” and “this is happening in the world.” It just knows that unpredictability feels unsafe. And it responds accordingly.

The Guilt of Normalcy

One of the hardest layers people are carrying right now is guilt.

Guilt for laughing.

For resting.

For celebrating something good.

For having moments where life feels okay.

Especially when you’re aware that other people are hurting.

That guilt usually comes from empathy and care, not selfishness. But guilt doesn’t actually reduce suffering. It just piles more stress onto your own nervous system.

You’re allowed to care deeply about what’s happening in the world and still live your life.

Those two things can coexist. They’re not mutually exclusive.

A Quick Grounding Pause

Before you keep reading, take about a minute here. Not to fix anything, just to give your body a small signal of safety.

Let your shoulders soften and drop.

Unclench your jaw. Let your tongue rest easily in your mouth.

If you’re sitting, notice the support of the chair beneath you.

If you’re standing, feel your feet connecting with the floor.

Now try this:

Inhale through your nose for 4

Pause briefly at the top

Exhale through your mouth for 6

As you exhale, imagine your body settling just a notch. Not relaxed. Just less on guard.

Repeat that a few times.

Longer exhales help activate the part of the nervous system responsible for calming and recovery. You’re not trying to make the world feel okay. You’re giving your body enough steadiness to stay in it.

If your mind wandered, congrats, you’re human. You didn’t mess it up.

Supporting a Nervous System That’s Had Enough

When things feel chaotic, the goal isn’t to feel fine. It’s to create enough safety in your body to function without burning out.

Start small. Seriously small.

Return to the body

Drop your shoulders.

Unclench your jaw.

Feel your feet on the floor.

Lengthen your exhale.

Reduce constant input

You do not need to be endlessly informed to be compassionate. Boundaries around news and social media are not avoidance, they’re nervous system care.

Anchor to what’s predictable

Regular meals, sleep routines, movement, and familiar rituals help stabilize a system overwhelmed by uncertainty.

Name what’s happening

Sometimes simply saying, “My nervous system is overwhelmed right now,” reduces shame and self-criticism.

How Do We Keep Living When Things Feel So Unsteady?

This is the tension so many people are holding.

You don’t need to pretend everything is fine.

You don’t need to minimize what’s happening.

You don’t need to carry the weight of the world by yourself.

And you also don’t need to put your life on pause indefinitely.

Living your life doesn’t mean you don’t care.

Finding moments of steadiness doesn’t mean you’re ignoring reality.

Often, it means you’re giving your nervous system enough support to keep showing up, for yourself and for others, in a way that’s sustainable.

Because white-knuckling your way through everything helps no one. And honestly, sometimes the most responsible thing you can do is take care of your own nervous system first. Even when, especially when, the world feels like a lot.

A Gentle Reframe

Instead of asking, “Is it okay for me to live normally right now?”

Try asking:

What helps me stay regulated enough to keep going?

What allows me to care without burning out?

What kind of support does my nervous system need today?

There’s no single right response to times like these. If you’re feeling unsettled, conflicted, or quietly overwhelmed, you’re not failing.

You’re human.

And you don’t have to carry it alone. When Life Feels Normal…and Not Normal at All