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The Anxiety Coaches Podcast

1239: When The World Feels Heavy: Staying Grounded Without Shutting Down

The Anxiety Coaches Podcast

Gina Ryan

Mental Health, Religion & Spirituality, Health & Fitness

4.6 • 1.9K Ratings

🗓️ 22 April 2026

⏱️ 24 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

In today's episode, Gina discusses how to navigate the information space of our often overwhelming world through deliberate news and information exposure regulation. Both extremes of being constantly connected and entirely disconnected with information about our world (via electronic media) are often untenable practices for most people. A few strategies are suggested for allowing some news and other information into our psyches in more structured ways to reduce negative impact on our minds. Listen in and start reducing anxiety today!


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Chapters

0:26 Aloha and Welcome

2:05 The Weight of the World

4:44 Finding a Middle Path

7:14 Protecting Your Nervous System

10:31 Creating Gentle Boundaries

11:47 Scheduling News Consumption

15:03 Staying Grounded and Present

17:29 Addressing Doom Thinking

18:33 Breathing and Boundaries

19:37 Closing Thoughts and Aloha


Summary

In this episode of the Anxiety Coaches Podcast, I delve into the ways we can manage the heaviness of the world while maintaining our mental and emotional well-being. I want to explore what it means to stay grounded amidst the chaos, without resorting to shutting down or completely disengaging from the world around us. In our previous discussion, we highlighted how internal negativity contributes to anxiety, but today, I'm widening the lens to examine the external factors contributing to this weight we often feel in our lives.


We live in an age of constant connectivity, where the influx of information can feel overwhelming. Historically, people experienced heavy times, but the difference now is the relentless flow of news—conflict, uncertainty, and fear flood our feeds at all hours, straining our nervous systems. My aim is to reassure you that if you're feeling overwhelmed or anxious, it's a logical response to the environment. You're not alone, and it's vital to acknowledge the reality of our world while finding a healthy balance.


Throughout the episode, I discuss two common extremes people fall into when faced with the weight of global issues: overexposure and avoidance. Overexposure—constantly checking news updates and social media—can lead to exhaustion and helplessness. Conversely, avoidance—ignoring world events and attempting to shut them out entirely—often results in disconnection and guilt. Many find themselves oscillating between these extremes, which complicates their emotional landscape. Here, I propose a middle path that allows for awareness and compassion toward the world while nurturing our own mental health.


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Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

Are you the type of person who, when I say in conclusion, no one knows or be suspicious of your

0:06.6

certainty, you just take a little breath of fresh air? Or maybe you feel like this describes your

0:12.7

faith journey. I'm Aaron Moon, one of the hosts and resident Bible scholar over at Faith Adjacent,

0:18.2

the podcast that is unwavering in its pursuit to have spiritually

0:22.8

abutting conversations that straddle the line between sacred and sacrilege.

0:27.1

New Faith Adjacent episodes drop every Thursday, and you can find us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify,

0:31.8

or wherever you listen.

0:47.1

Welcome to the anxiety coaches podcast, a relaxing and informative show where we explore anxiety, panic, and PTSD, sharing how you can overcome them for life.

0:57.3

Aloha.

0:58.4

Welcome back to the Anxiety Coaches podcast.

1:01.8

I'm your host and coach, Gina Ryan, and I am so happy to be with you again today

1:08.3

as together we can consider the many ways to bring your mind and body

1:13.6

back to its natural peace and calm. In today's episode, I'm talking about when the world

1:21.0

feels heavy and I want to give you some ideas on staying grounded without shutting down. We want to be able to be in the

1:31.6

middle there. We don't want to shut down. So this episode is going to expand outward a little bit,

1:39.4

not just your thoughts, but what you're absorbing from the world. I want to help you to be able to stay

1:47.6

informed without becoming overwhelmed, to care deeply without burning out, and to stay engaged

1:57.5

without living in constant anxiety.

2:01.8

You'll remember in our last episode, we talked about how negativity can build up internally

2:09.5

and how that can fuel our anxiety.

2:14.7

Today, we're going to, like I said, gently widen the lens because sometimes it's not just

2:22.5

what's happening inside of us, it's what's happening around us. The world can feel heavy right now.

...

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