Emotional Clutter + The Mental Load Detox

Ever feel completely exhausted… but you can’t point to one big reason why?

In this episode, Katie and Meagan talk about emotional clutter — the invisible weight of unprocessed feelings, constant background stress, and mental load that builds up over time. Not because you’re failing, but because you’re doing a lot — often for everyone else.

This conversation isn’t about fixing your whole life or getting more disciplined. It’s about slowing down, taking an honest inventory of what you’re carrying, and learning how to set some of it down — even temporarily.

We unpack:

• what emotional clutter actually looks like in real life

• signs you’re emotionally exhausted (even if you didn’t realize it)

• the difference between supporting your kids’ emotions and absorbing them

• why over-functioning can quietly lead to burnout

• how family systems are affected when one person carries everyone’s feelings

We also share practical tools for a mental load detox:

• taking an emotional inventory

• closing the “open tabs” in your brain

• naming the invisible work you’re doing

• giving yourself permission to rest, disappoint people, and do things well enough

If everything feels heavy right now, this episode is a reminder:
you don’t need a full reset — you may just need to stop carrying more than your share.

This week, instead of asking “What should I do next?” try asking:
“What can I set down?”