When Living in the Fog Becomes the Norm

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Returning to Self:

There was a time when I felt like I was sleepwalking through my days—on autopilot, doing what needed to be done, checking all the boxes.

I was a super mom, a wife, a daughter, and a daughter-in-law. I wore all the hats and played all the parts, often without stopping to ask, “What do I want?” or “What do I need?” Instead, I focused on what made sense to others—what earned approval, avoided conflict, or kept things running smoothly. Slowly, almost without noticing, I began to disappear.

Self-doubt crept in. I questioned my decisions and silenced my instincts. I started to lose faith in my voice and became more invested in the opinions of others. I was still functioning, but I wasn’t fully living. I was surviving, not thriving. And beneath the surface, something vital was slipping away: me.

Resentment became a quiet, steady undercurrent. My marriage started to show signs of strain. My in-laws overstepped boundaries, and instead of addressing things directly, I swallowed my discomfort. I began to focus more and more on what—and who—I disliked. I remember going on hikes and obsessively replaying grievances, like a loop I couldn’t turn off. I pointed fingers. I placed the blame. But I rarely paused to ask, What is my part in this?

The Fog Lifts Slowly

There was no single moment of awakening—just a slow turning toward the truth.

I began to seek help, including meditation training, Yoga, and physiotherapy. I also started running and training for triathlons. I slowly relinquished the roles and responsibilities that no longer fit. Bit by bit, the fog began to lift.

And what I found wasn’t some new, polished version of myself—it was someone I remembered. Someone spontaneous, flawed, open-hearted. Someone who could feel deeply again. I was coming home to the woman I had always been, underneath the noise.

Steps Toward Wholeness

If you feel like you’re in the fog right now—disconnected, on autopilot, unsure of who you are—know this: you’re not alone. And you can come back to yourself.

Here are a few steps that supported me in finding my way home:

Pause and notice. Begin to observe your life gently. Where are you going through the motions? Where do you feel least like yourself?
Ask honest questions. What do I want? What do I need? What am I doing to keep the peace or meet someone else’s expectations?
Find your breath. Meditation taught me how to return to the present—even a few minutes a day helped me reconnect with my inner landscape.
Honor your body. Through physiotherapy and Yoga, I began to feel grounded again. Tuning in to my body brought me out of my head and back into the moment.
Release what no longer fits. Not everything can come with you into the next chapter. Saying no or letting go isn’t selfish—it’s sacred.
Practice self-responsibility. It’s easy to blame others, but true healing starts with owning our part. Growth lives there.

Becoming Whole Again

Healing is not about becoming someone else—it’s about returning to who you are underneath the noise, the pressure, the layers. It’s remembering the parts of you that once felt alive and allowing them to take up space again.

The fog doesn’t lift all at once. But with each small step, each breath, each moment of self-honesty, you move closer to clarity. Closer to joy. Closer to your integral self.

Mantra for Returning to Self