On the Cusp of Overwhelm: Finding Power in What You Can Control with Three Circles

We all have moments when life feels loud - responsibilities piling up, emotions running high, uncertainty lurking in every direction. In these moments, it's easy to feel ungrounded, unsure, and stretched too thin.

At Cusp of Change, we believe that these threshold moments - when the old ways no longer work but the new hasn’t yet arrived - hold the greatest possibility. And one of the most practical, grounding tools I return to again and again (for myself and my clients) is Stephen Covey’s model of the Circles of Control, Influence, and Concern.

But we don’t stop at the theory - we bring it to life through the CUSP Pathway.

Centering: Where Am I Standing?

Before we can act, we must pause. We begin by understanding where we’re placing our attention - and whether it’s helping or hindering us.

The Circle of Control holds what you can directly shift: your choices, your responses, your boundaries, your presence. When life feels chaotic, this is where you come home to yourself. It’s the foundation of self-leadership.

Reflection:

• What’s within your immediate control right now?

• Where can you give yourself permission to slow down and refocus?

Uncovering: Shifting the Lens

The Circle of Influence includes what you can impact indirectly - your team, your relationships, your environment. You may not have total control, but your presence, communication, and integrity influence what unfolds.

When you lead from your values and stay rooted in what matters, your influence often grows naturally. That’s the power of resonance - and it’s where new possibilities start to emerge.

Reflection:

• Where are you already making a quiet impact?

• What relationships or situations could shift if you showed up differently?

Sourcing: What Truly Matters?

The Circle of Concern includes the big things - global issues, organizational changes, other people’s decisions. It’s human to care, but too much energy spent here can lead to powerlessness and burnout.

Rather than shutting out your concern, we explore the meaning beneath it. Often, concern points to deeply held values - things you do care about. And when you root into those values, you can source energy, rather than just drain it.

Reflection:

• What is this concern pointing to in you?

• What value or need is asking for attention?

Propelling: Moving From Stuck to Sparked

Once we’ve named where your energy is going - and reconnected to what matters - we move into action. But not action for action’s sake. Aligned, intentional steps that move you forward without overwhelm.

Whether you’re navigating a big decision, a life transition, or simply feeling off-center, the Circles - combined with the CUSP Pathway - help you move from stagnant to sparked.

Try This:

• Choose one area of life where you feel stretched.

• Write out what’s in your Control, your Influence, and your Concern.

• Circle the one or two items in Control you can take action on this week.

• Let the rest be - for now.

At the Cusp These moments of discomfort are not signs you’re failing. They’re invitations. Signals that something within you is ready to shift.

Whether you’re standing at a career crossroads, leading through uncertainty, or simply craving more fulfillment - you don’t need to figure it all out alone.

This is what Cusp of Change is here for. To help you pause, gain clarity, and begin again - with presence, purpose, and grounded momentum.

Book a free chemistry session - I'm here to help you find power in what you can control.