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By Dina Tulli Davis, CPC, Certified Life Purpose Coach
When Balance Feels Out of Reach and Doing Too Much Takes Over
Last week, I had a moment that prompted me to check in with myself.
In this moment, I realized that…
I was doing a lot.
Being present for others.
Building something new.
Maintaining what already exists.
Showing up, delivering, creating, responding.
From the outside, it probably looked productive… even purposeful. But internally, I could feel it…I was becoming depleted. I was not burned out in a dramatic way; I was just disconnected, a little tired, a little stretched, and a little less me.
Stepping Back (Without Stepping Away Completely)
So I made a choice that didn’t feel groundbreaking, but ended up being exactly what I needed.
I stepped back.
Not completely—I still worked. But midweek, I was called out of town to give a talk and serve on a guest panel at a satellite branch of Penn State University.
Conveniently, I found myself back in my hometown with family, and almost immediately, I felt my body begin to release into a sense of calm.
I allowed myself to let go of the guilt and the constant mental chatter reminding me how long my To-Do List was. Instead, I chose to listen to that quieter inner voice… the one rooted in my heart and soul, rather than my mind and ego.
Without planning it, I gave myself about five days, including the weekend at home, to shift my energy… to stop pushing, and start noticing and enjoying.
And what I came back to wasn’t anything extraordinary. I noticed the peace and balance I felt at doing simple things…
Doing the dishes.
Folding laundry.
Taking walks and actually feeling the sun and cool air on my skin.
Noticing the trees blooming… the softness of newly opened flowers… the way the season was changing, whether I was paying attention or not.
There was something deeply grounding in that. There was no urgency, no stress, and no performance. I was just being present in my own life again and giving myself permission to hear and deliver what my soul desperately needed.
Listening to the Quiet Inner Nudge
On the way home from my trip, something small, but meaningful, happened. That morning, a dear friend texted me to go to breakfast to catch up. It was a go until he forgot about an appointment that morning. After the appointment, he contacted me again to go to lunch, but I missed the call. I was disappointed, but I felt it obviously was not meant to be.
I soon felt a nudge to make my way home but to take the longer, scenic route. Perhaps, I was trying to prolong the joy of this tiny escape from everyday life, but it turned out to be something more.
I turned on my favorite playlist loud and enjoyed driving, singing, and taking in the sights. It was a beautiful spring day! At this point, there were several routes I could have taken home, but I was led to go through the town I had left before moving to northeast Pennsylvania. I was then intuitively nudged to visit a Goodwill there. I had no plan, no expectation when I arrived.
I checked out the home decor and then found the book section. I quickly skimmed the titles, and there it was —a book on life purpose and awakening.
Of course. I hadn’t gone looking for it, but I knew immediately why I had stopped. (I am always open to furthering my education in this area, so I assume there is something important for me to learn here.)
Those are the moments that remind me: when we slow down enough, we can actually hear ourselves again and find the balance we crave.
The Full Circle Moment
What’s interesting is that just before all of this, I had been doing the opposite of slowing down. I was so in the zone of working, doing, and showing up that I forgot about giving a priority to integrating balance into my daily life.
As I was speaking at Penn State and sharing my career journey—where I’ve been, where I am, and where I feel called to go next, I was surrounded by students who were bright, curious, and ready to take on the world. But I could also see it in them…that subtle mix of excitement and uncertainty. I could tell that underneath it all, there was an unspoken question they all had: Am I going to figure this out?
And standing there, I realized… that feeling doesn’t just belong to them.
Uncertainty Doesn’t Disappear—It Evolves
It shows up in midlife too, but just in different ways.
We may have more experience, more accomplishments, more “proof” of who we are, but the questions don’t disappear…they evolve. And sometimes, we respond to that uncertainty by doing more, pushing harder, and filling every space. We keep doing this until something in us says: this isn’t balance.
What Balance Actually Looks Like
Balance, I’m learning, isn’t about perfectly managing everything. It’s about recognizing when you’ve drifted too far from yourself and taking even the smallest but meaningful steps to finding your way back.
For me, that looked like:
- Giving myself permission to pause
- Letting the simple, everyday moments be enough
- Listening to my intuition (even when it didn’t make logical sense)
- Not rushing back into work the second I returned home
Creating Space for What Wants to Come Through
When I got back this weekend, I didn’t dive right in. I cleaned. I rearranged my office.
I created space—physically and mentally.
And something shifted.
The ideas started flowing again. The heaviness lifted. The overwhelm, the stress, even that subtle fear… it quieted.
This didn’t happen because I solved everything, but because I came back into alignment with myself.
Coming Back to Your Inner Compass
If you’ve been feeling stretched, or slightly off, or like you’re doing everything but not quite feeling connected to it…
Maybe, balance isn’t asking you to do less.
Maybe, it’s asking you to come back to what grounds you.
To the quiet moments.
To your inner voice.
To the version of you that doesn’t need to rush to prove anything.
That’s where clarity lives.
That’s where inspiration returns.
That’s where your Inner Compass recalibrates.
And often, it’s much simpler than we think.
About the Author
Dina Tulli Davis is a passionate, life purpose coach and light healer dedicated to helping individuals unlock their true potential and achieve their dreams. With two decades of experience in personal and spiritual development as well as personal brand coaching, Dina empowers her clients to overcome obstacles and live life on purpose. Her unique approach combines practical strategies with deep inner work to create lasting change.
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