When It Feels Like Too Much

Hey everyone. You know, looking back on these five years, I'm amazed how this space has grown. Not in just numbers, but in heart. Your messages, your stories... They've shown me that we all need a place to pause and connect. So, I have created Comment Down Deeper. It's everything you love about the podcast. Plus, daily affirmations, guided meditations, and early ad-free access to episodes. For just $5 a month, there's even a free trial, and right now, there's 20% off.

So head over to commentdownpodcast.com if you want to go deeper in your calm. Look for Comment Down Deeper. You'll see it there. Thank you. Now.

Let's begin today's episode. Sometimes, sometimes it sneaks up quietly, right? You're going about your day, doing the dishes. Walk into class, answering the emails, when something stirs. Maybe it's a smell, or a sound, or a word, or a memory, and then suddenly... You're not here anymore. You're somewhere else entirely. Your heart races. Your breath, it catches. And tears, they just start...

falling when you're not even sure how to stop them. If this is where you are right now, I want you to know, please listen to me, you're not alone. You are not doing this wrong. Someone wrote in asking for an episode for the moments when all you can do is sit and cry. So Matilda, I hear you. I do. And you are not alone. So this is an episode for those moments when it feels like too much. And when the tears come, I just won't stop.

When old memories are flashbacks and they pull you under like a tide. I want to be clear. This is not here to fix it. It will not tell you to be strong. This is here to sit with you softly and breathe with you one small moment at a time. So before we begin, what would it feel like? to be gentle with yourself just for the next few minutes. I'm Chan Lawson, and let's calm it down in three, two, one.

So first things first, if you are crying right now, it's okay. Really, tears are not failure. They are your body's way of saying, you know, this was too heavy to carry alone. And now some of it is being released. So let them come if they need to. Let the tears come. This is nothing here to be embarrassed about. Sometimes we try to fight it, right? We wipe the tears away quickly. We tense up. We brace against the next wave.

But what if, just for a moment, you didn't have to fight? What if you gave yourself permission to simply feel what you feel without needing to edit? without needing to explain. You are here. You are breathing. You are safe in this moment, right now. Take a small breath. Inhale through your nose gently. Hold it for just a beat. And exhale as slowly as you can. Again, inhale. Hold. Exhale. It's okay if your breath feels shaky. It happens. Mine does too sometimes.

And it's okay if it catches you on your way out. You're still doing it. You're still here. That's what's important. Now, if your mind is racing, if memories are swirling around you, I want you to try this. Name five things you can see around you. Maybe it's a lamp, or the pattern on the carpet, or the outline of a window. And then... Name four things you can feel. Maybe it's the fabric of your shirt. Or the coolness in the air. And then three things you can hear. Even if it's just my voice.

Now to be clear, this is not trying to erase a memory, but it's gently anchoring you back to the present, back to now, back to here. You're not in the past. You are in this moment. And in this moment, you are safe. And if the tears are still falling, it's okay. There is no rush. to stop them they will slow on their own tears after all i mean they're like the ocean right you cannot force the tide out faster you can only sit at the shore

and let it rise and fall, rise and fall. And even though it may feel endless right now, it won't be. One wave at a time, one breath.

Out of time. Now I want to speak gently to that part of you that might feel ashamed. The part that says, why am I crying like this? I should be over this. Why can't I just move on? And if that voice is here, I invite you to imagine placing a soft hand over your heart. Literally, if that feels right to do. And I want you to whisper to yourself. I am allowed to feel this. I'm allowed to be here. I'm allowed to heal in my own.

Because healing is not a straight line. It's more of a spiral. Sometimes you circle back to an old place and you think, haven't I already been here before? Right? But you haven't. You're here again, but differently. You're wiser. You're softer. You're more aware. The tears that come today, they're not a sign of failure. They are a sign of something that you are moving through. Of something loosening, even if you can't name it yet. And if flashbacks are here...

If the images feel sharp and vivid, I want you to understand this. That memory is something that happened. Right? But it is not happening now. You are here. in this room, in this moment. And if it helps, you can softly say to yourself, this is a memory. I am here now. This is a memory. I am here now. And if words feel too hard, that's okay. Even just listening is enough. Sometimes the bravest thing that we can do is simply just stay present with ourselves.

when it hurts to not abandon our own side and you're doing that now even if it does not feel like it you are because you are here And that matters more than you know. Here, I want to take another small breath together, okay? Inhale through your nose. Hold gently. And then exhale slowly, fully through your nose. If you need to lay down, that is okay too. And if you need to wrap yourself in a blanket or hold a pillow close, that's okay.

two there is no wrong way to be here there's not so before we close i want to offer one more image okay I want you to imagine a small lantern, one that fits in the palm of your hand, right? No matter how dark the night feels, this little light is always here. Maybe it's flickering, maybe it's faint. But it's steady. That light is you. Even now. Even through the tears. And the more that you tend to it. With breath. With presence. With patience.

kindness, the steadier, it's going to grow. So if tonight or tomorrow brings more tears, more waves, remember this, you're not failing. You're not alone. You are tending your light. One breath at a time. One grace at a time. So as we close, I want you to take this with you. You do not have to do all of this at once. You don't have to stop the tears or banish the memories. All that you are asked to do,

is to be here, to meet yourself with as much gentleness as you can, moment to moment. And in doing so, that's where the healing begins, even now. I am so glad that you're here. I am so glad you are here. Thank you. Thank you for listening. Thank you for... Living. And until next time, be the light. Tend to the light. Join me again as we...

Hey, I see that you have made it to the end, either because you loved it or because your phone's playing to an empty room while you're in the kitchen making a sandwich. I've been there. Either way, here's a scoop. Comment down premium. It exists. Weekly episodes, no ads, early access, exclusive content. It's like finding out your favorite restaurant has a secret menu. But instead of extra sauce, you get extra serenity. It's true.

So join me at Comment Down Podcast. Look for Comment Down Deeper. Or don't. It's okay. But like, why wouldn't you want the extra sauce? Either way, thank you. And until next time. Be kind to your mind. To find more episodes of Comet Down, see where I may be appearing in your area, or to simply want to know where to send me some chocolate chip cookies, visit Comet Down Podcast.

This podcast was written and produced by yours truly, Chad Lawson, composer, pianist, and nationally recognized Sweet Tooth. The views, expressions, and techniques in this episode are of my personal opinion and not intended, nor should they, serve as a substitute for medical advice or diagnosis rendered to you by your individual doctor.

or other healthcare provider. Only a licensed physician should evaluate your situation, provide a diagnosis, or render other medical advice to you. And you should only act upon the advice. of this physician. Now, I'm an extreme empath by nature, but my profession is that of a composer and pianist, not a licensed therapist or physician.

I hear from thousands of listeners how my music has helped them through various stages of emotional needs, and I simply want to offer this in future podcast episodes to aid those needs. So to find a list of licensed professionals in your area, please visit commentdownpodcast.com. And if you've enjoyed today's episode, please leave a review or better yet, share it with a friend.

While it takes less than 60 seconds to do, its impact will last for years to come as every little bit helps in growing the awareness and the importance of mental and emotional health. Thank you for listening. Thank you for living. And until next time, be kind to your mind and join me again as we calm it down.