#217 | How To Manage Feeling Overwhelmed With Heidi Hanna

Feeling overwhelmed as you kick off the new year? Same here! I rang in 2026 with the usual mix of excitement and my signature “optimizing everything” frenzy–closet cleanouts, new notebooks, the works. But sometimes all that pressure to level up leaves us totally frazzled. That’s why I welcomed Dr. Emily Anhalt, executive director of the American Institute of Stress, to our latest Coffee with Kim chat to talk stress and how to make it less of a villain in our lives.

One big takeaway? Stress isn’t good or bad it just is. As Dr. Emily put it, stress is more about an energy in our body. It’s a demand versus capacity thing, not just a “feeling” you have to muscle through. When we look at stress as information, suddenly we have choices. Is it the demands that need tweaking, or is your capacity for handling them running a little low? (P.S. both can be true!)

Another favorite? The “enough list.” Instead of agonizing over getting everything done, and let’s be real, there’s always more to do, Emily suggests making a list of “enough” for the day. Once you hit that, play a little! Walk the dog, grab a croissant, go to a painting class; it all counts.

Lastly, if you’re one of those highly empathetic humans who take on everyone else’s stress, you’re not alone. I heard from so many in the chat about being overwhelmed by feelings that aren’t even theirs. Dr. Emily’s advice? Be intentional about what you absorb and find ways to recharge your capacity, whether that’s journaling, saying no to extra screen time, or just guilt-free snacks from your favorite coffee spot.

So this week, how about making a “play” list, treating your own stress with curiosity, and finally giving yourself credit for doing enough.

Timestamps:

7:20 Stress is neither good nor bad

11:29 Stress is a sensation not a feeling

19:25 Nourish and reward

21:08 How to differentiate stress from job vs pressure of work responsibilities

26:17 Unclog from yourself The triple A Process

29:09 Stress sensitivity

35:16 What is the big “but” that is getting in your way

39:10 BFF (Breath, Feel, Focus)

49:00 How to manage stress when feeling alone on an island

Links:

For more of Heidi’s work: https://heidihanna.com/

hsperson.com

The Association for Applied and Therapeutic Humor

Ram Dass

Books:

Why Zebras Don’t Get Ulcers by Robert Sapolsky

Spark by John Ratey

Your Creative Brain and Almost Depressed by Shelly Carson

The Stress of Life by Hans Selye

If You Enjoyed Today’s Episode:

1.) You should check out this episode From Burnt Out To Lit Up With Daisy Auger-Dominguez

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