Protecting Through Pacing

We often confuse engagement with courage. But for a nervous system shaped by overwhelm, constant engagement isn’t bravery — it’s pressure. And pressure doesn’t build safety. It drains it. Not every moment needs to be processed. Not every feeling needs immediate attention. Sometimes what overwhelms us isn’t what’s happening — but the expectation that we must engage right now. Many people learned that stepping back means failing, avoiding, or being weak. So they stay engaged long past their capacity. This is where exhaustion quietly accumulates: staying present when the system is already overloaded, continuing contact when the body is signaling “enough.” Pacing becomes difficult when worth is measured by endurance.