Sometimes we know something isn't working, but we keep going anyway. We tell ourselves, “It's not that bad,” “I'll deal with it later,” or “Things will get better.”

This can be normalcy bias - our tendency to assume things will return to normal even when something has changed. Or it may be a freeze response, when feeling overwhelmed makes it difficult to take action even when we know what we want to do. Sometimes the two work together.

Before asking, “What should I do?” it may be more helpful to ask, “Am I grounded enough to see what's actually happening and consider my options?” Clarity often comes after regulation - not before it.