Stop. Think. Do. — Finding Calm When Life Feels Overwhelming

Life has a funny way of testing your peace right when you feel like you’ve finally found your rhythm. Not long ago, I was out on my regular exercise walk — something I’d been doing faithfully as I prepared for a 5K race to raise awareness about drug addiction, a cause that’s incredibly close to my heart.

Then out of nowhere… bam! I was hit by a car.

Thankfully, I wasn’t seriously injured. I ended up with a knee sprain and some aggravation of a previous injury, but I could still walk away. Physically, I was okay. But emotionally? That’s where the real storm began.

I’d been training for weeks. I had a goal. I had a purpose. And now, just two days before the race, I felt it all slipping through my fingers. The pain in my knee was real, but the pain of disappointment hit even harder.

That’s when I remembered a simple strategy someone once shared with me — just today I heard three short words that best describe that strategy. It can change everything when life feels out of control: Stop. Think. Do. (Thank you to Cicely Spencer for putting the words to the strategy I was already using!)

🛑 Stop

The first thing I did was stop. I literally paused. I stopped the flood of racing thoughts — the “Why me?”, the “This always happens when I’m doing good”, and the “I’ve failed” messages that were trying to take over. I took a deep breath and reminded myself: You’re okay. This isn’t the end of your story — it’s just a pause.

💭 Think

Once I stopped spiraling, I started thinking. I gave myself grace — permission not to walk in the race if my body wasn’t ready. I reminded myself that not finishing the race didn’t mean I failed. Then I thought through my options: rest completely for a day and hope to heal, or show up anyway and cheer others on from the sidelines.

When I shifted my focus from how I’d show up to why I wanted to show up, everything changed. My goal wasn’t to get a medal — it was to raise awareness about addiction. And I could still do that, even if my role looked different than I planned.

🚶🏽‍♀️ Do

With a clearer mindset, I put a plan into action. I rested my knee, iced it, prayed for healing, and prepared for both outcomes. Whether I crossed that finish line or stood at it cheering, I was still walking out my purpose.

Sometimes we confuse the method with the mission. We think success only happens if it looks exactly how we imagined. But life doesn’t always play fair — and that’s okay. Because you can still reach the goal, even if you have to take a different route.

“Stop. Think. Do.” has become one of my go-to tools whenever life feels overwhelming. It’s simple, but powerful. It reminds me that I don’t have to react in panic — I can respond with purpose.

So the next time life throws you off track — when you lose momentum, face disappointment, or get hit with something unexpected — remember: Pause. Breathe. Think it through. Then take action — one intentional step at a time.

Remember, victory isn’t about doing it perfectly. It’s about doing it purposefully.

✨ Reflection Questions

1. What’s a recent situation that made you feel overwhelmed or off track?

2. How might stopping and thinking first have changed your reaction or outcome?

3. What goal in your life needs you to focus more on the mission than the method?