Tonight on Change the World with Matt McQuinley, we are going to tackle something millions of people are feeling… but many struggle to explain.

We live in the most technologically advanced and connected time in human history — yet people have never seemed more overwhelmed, exhausted, distracted, and stressed.

In both Australia and the United States, burnout and chronic stress are reaching alarming levels.

Recent Australian studies found up to 40% of workers are experiencing burnout, while nearly 90% report work-related stress or emotional strain.

But the issue goes far beyond the workplace.

In Australia, government data shows nearly 60% of people experienced at least one major personal stressor in the last 12 months. Financial pressure, relationship strain, rising living costs, loneliness, lack of time, and emotional exhaustion are becoming part of everyday life for millions of people.

Studies also show one in five Australian adults experiences high or very high psychological distress, with younger Australians and families under financial pressure hit particularly hard.

And perhaps the most revealing of all… is the fact that

People are busier than ever, yet many feel they’re falling further behind.

We rush from obligation to obligation.
Work to bills.
Emails to appointments.
Kids’ activities to social pressures.
Notifications to deadlines.

And somewhere in the middle of all that busyness… many people feel like they’re losing themselves.

Medical experts warn chronic stress is linked to anxiety, depression, heart disease, sleep disorders, emotional burnout, and declining relationships.

Four in ten Australians are now not getting enough sleep — one of the clearest signs of a society struggling to slow down.

We’ve become busy — but not necessarily fulfilled.
Connected — but often isolated.
Productive — but emotionally exhausted.

So tonight, we ask:
How did we get here?
Why do so many people feel trapped in survival mode?
And most importantly… how do we reclaim balance, purpose, peace, and control in a world that never seems to slow down?

Our person who has struggled with these challenges and feels he has come out the other side, joins us here tonight and he’d like to share with you what he has learned and what has helped him.

Karl Palin is. The founder and director of one big heart.

He also is the owner of Australia’s National Yoga Studio of the Year 2023 & 2025