Feeling Like You Can't Keep Up? Here's Your Reset

Feeling like life’s too much? You’re not broken — your body’s just in survival mode. Here’s how to reset.”

Ever wake up and think, “I just can’t do … (fill in whatever you were hoping to do) today”? Your chest is tight, your stomach’s in knots — and it feels like too much.

Here’s the truth: that’s your body in survival mode. And you’re not alone — 8 out of 10 girls feel the same pressure.

In this episode, I’ll show you what’s really going on inside your brain and body — and give you the simplest reset tool (yep, just breathing, but it actually works) to help you find calm when everything feels overwhelming.

✨ You don’t need to have it all together. You just need to breathe.

If you want more tools like this, What’s The Feeling, my brand new online girls’ membership, is coming soon. We’re going to dive deep into what’s actually happening in your brain and body, and how to feel calmer, stronger, and more confident every day.

Check out my revamped website for updates or connect with me on TikTok

Transcript

Hi, and welcome to Girl, You’ve Got This—the podcast for girls who want to feel seen, heard, and understood as they work their way through life’s ups and downs.

I’m Rach Friedli, a coach working specifically with girls—tweens, teens, and young women—and my mission is to help you figure out who you are and how to thrive in this messy, magical thing we call life.

You know those mornings when you wake up and think:

“I can’t. I just can’t do dot, dot, dot today, so whether that’s school, college, work or yet another day of nothingness…

And maybe your mum says, “But you have to!”

But inside, your chest is tight, your stomach’s in knots, and you feel like you might explode.

That’s not laziness.

That’s not attitude.

That’s your body sending up a flare. 🚨

And today, I want to show you what’s really going on — and how you can reset without burning out.

[The Gritty Truth – for Girls]

Here’s the deal: you’re not alone.

📊 79% of girls say they feel so much pressure they could explode.

📊 Girls are 3x more likely than boys to say they’re struggling with emotions.

📊 Nearly half aren’t even getting enough sleep.

And get this — in one study, girls said straight up:

“Feeling anxious and low? That’s just normal for us now.”

Not the exception. The expectation.

Why?

• Be perfect, polite, pretty.

• Smash your grades.

• Keep up with friends — even when it feels like competition.

• And don’t forget social media, reminding you 24/7 where you’re “not enough.”

Sound familiar?

Here’s the science-y bit (but quick, I promise):

When stress hits — exams, friendships, Insta drama — your body flips into survival mode: fight, flight, freeze, or fawn.

• Heart races.

• Breathing goes shallow.

• And the part of your brain that helps you focus literally switches off.

So when you “can’t” do the homework?

It’s not that you won’t. It’s that your brain can’t right now.

This isn’t weakness. It’s biology.

Oh and by the way—if you’re listening and thinking, ‘Ugh, I wish my mum understood this,’ I actually have another podcast called The Teen Whisperer that’s just for mums. You don’t have to tell her what to do—I can do that for you

Okay, so how do you get back online?

Breath.

Yeah, I know — sounds too simple. But your breath is your emotional steering wheel.

Try this with me:

• One hand on your chest, one on your ribs.

• Breathe in through your nose — feel your hands rise.

• Breathe out — feel them lower.

Do that 3 times.

Now same again, but breathe out through your mouth. 3 times.

That’s it. No counting, no holding. Just proper breathing.

Why it works?

• Deep belly breaths switch on your vagus nerve — it’s like your body’s “calm down” button.

• Cortisol drops.

• Oxygen flows back to your brain.

• Focus returns.

Think of it like a Wi-Fi reset for your body. You hit reset, and suddenly — connection’s back.

Here’s what I need you to hear:

You are not broken.

You don’t need fixing.

Your anxiety, your stress, your overwhelm?

They’re messages.

Messages from your body saying:

“I need support. I need rest. I need connection.”

And you are not the only one feeling this way.

Far from it.

So next time the pressure feels like it’s crushing you, remember:

It’s not you failing.

It’s your body protecting you.

And the reset starts with one breath.

✨ Mic drop line: “You don’t need to be perfect. You just need to breathe. That’s enough.”