now entering: the overwhelm void state
a landing spot for those wondering if it’s possible to be burnt out from burn out
ICYMI: We recently introduced our three void states (plus one bonus chill state) in the Holisticism extended universe with a full tour and a quiz as a framework to help creative, intuitive folks either embrace or evacuate the circumstances they feel stuck in.
We’ll be adding to this document as we build out the Void State Extended Universe so make sure to check back and go spelunking for the good stuff.
You might be in the Overwhelm Void State if…
you have 47 tabs open at all on times, both on your computer and in your brain
a sentient to do list is trying to kill you
you’re on a too fast hamster wheel of anxiety → action → reaction → burn out
what you thought was your life’s purpose is starting to feel like a cage you trapped yourself in
you are deeply, existentially exhausted
Scenes from the Overwhelm Void State
A manifesto for the Overwhelmed
If you’re operating on caffeine, spite, and a task list that would make Miranda Priestly shudder… Let’s take a breath, in 1... 2... 3... out 1… 2... 3…
You’re probably smack dab in the middle of the overwhelmed void.
TBH if you’re trapped here you might not even read this part because you are scrolling 1000 miles a minute.
Or you got STOOPID high to drown out life’s chaos and fell down an elaborate rabbit hole that led you here. (If this is you, hi you’re in a safe space! carry on!).
Either way, you’re operating at max capacity and at any minute the fire marshall is going to show up and kick everybody out1
Instead of spending your one precious life going through a never-ending to do list or disassociating on Mormon MomTok, we recommend:
Exploring what the hell you believe in and establishing a True North
Separating the non-negosh from the to do list tasks that are there because you feel like you “should”
Building systems and structures that support you when life decides to Wrestlemania-style hit you with a folding chair
We know the Overwhelmed void is so daunting and exhausting when you’re in it but we promise there is life outside of it, waiting for you to return.
Here are a bunch of resources that can help if you’re feeling claustrophobic about your time in the Overwhelmed Void
COURSE: RUTHLESS CLARITY
Going to get a lil harsh for a moment with ya. I promise I say this with love and compassion… If you’ve been in the overwhelmed void for so long that you need a mailing address, you simply are doing Too Much. And not in the “omg I am Too Much” way but in the “I am over-committed, under-resourced, and burnt tf out” way.
You cannot time block/wake up at 5am/get a total personality transplant your way out of a too busy schedule. It’s time to slash and trash (or lovingly put on ice) some of those not-so-important things so you can focus on the things that actually matter.
Ruthless Clarity is an 8-week email series to factory reset your decision-making, your boundaries, and your creative energy. You’ll walk away with a crystal clear understanding on what matters and how to structure what you do accordingly.
GUIDE: Spiritual Operating System
When you’re overwhelmed, it’s incredibly easy to forget who you are/what you believe in/what you want for lunch most days. Developing a Spiritual OS means you have a True North to guide you through even the most uncertain circumstances.
With the workshop, you’ll customize a framework so specific, so weird, so exactly YOU that if the overwhelm void pulls you under, you’ll still have who you are to guide you home.
SPELLWORK: The Time Witch’s Grimoire
If time is feeling like public enemy numero uno… might we suggest some witchcraft? The Time Witch’s Grimoire is a FREE spell and recipe book for slowing, speeding, and stopping time. Happy casting 💫
WORKBOOK: The Reality Debugging Kit
You’re doing literally EVERYTHING right and still not seeing the results you want? Time to take your business to mystical IT to troubleshoot. This free workbook guides you through identifying the bug and patching it up.
Twelfth House Episodes + Articles
The Twelfth House podcast has a trillion episodes and at least a million of them tackle overwhelm. Here are a few standouts from the vault:
The Twelfth House+ Audio Course: How to Prioritize Where to Start When EVERYTHING Feels Important
In an era where aesthetically curating the idea of doing something has become our collective toxic trait (I see you, productivity people with your untouched Notion pages), it's time for a lil’ reality check. A gentle call in. A firm, kind redirect as we emerge from the eclipse portal and catapult ourselves into Q2.
VIDEO TUTORIAL: How to Make Custom GPTs That'll Slash Your Workload aka Projector Work Hack
Per my promise in last week’s episode Project School, I’m showing you how to make your own leeeetle custom GPTs in ChatGPT to make your life easier. Maje fan of that.
The Time Witch's Starter Spellbook (A Real Day In My Life Slash How I Spend My Time)
Ever wonder how your astrology app finds time to send you push notifications about approaching doom while you can't find 5 minutes to eat lunch? (Petition to remove Co—Star from the App Store)
What Do You ACTUALLY Want, or the Case for Goal Distillation and Diversification (…Alchemy?)
In today’s episode, we’re thrilled to have our host, Michelle Pellizzon, talking about something we all deal with—setting goals and chasing dreams. But here’s the twist: Michelle invites us to pause for a second and ask ourselves, why are we really pursuing these goals? In this laid-back chat, she shares how understanding the deeper meaning behind what …
SEE ALL THE OVERWHELM VOID CONTENT →
North Node Courses
The North Node is our private members’ community for people charting their own path. We produce a NN-only multi-day course every quarter in addition to live hour-long workshops and guest expert classes that are only available for North Node members.
If you’re currently feeling the most FO to ever MO, worry not, you can get on the North Node waitlist here.
COURSE: BUILDING SYSTEMS FOR SELF-EFFICACY
WORKSHOP: HOW TO BEGIN: A PROJECT PLANNING CLASS
COURSE: SPACIOUS HIRING, THE SECRET TO SMART DELEGATION, AND INSPIRING SOPs (DAY 1)
CHALLENGE: CHALLENGE: 28-DAY BURNOUT PROTOCOL
Finally, a few reminders for you in this state
aka have the break down to end all break downs, physically, emotionally, or both!