Overwhelm and How to Work With It

Overwhelm is a byproduct of ignoring the stressful feelings that are showing up. 

For me, being overwhelmed debilitates me. I get a cloudy mind, a tense body and lose the ability to think clearly and make rational decisions. Sometimes, because I am so attached to the stress, I can even get short tempered and unkind to those around me. This whole emotional response not only creates a cocktail of feelings that I struggle to decipher but also creates additional issues with my relationships if I can’t hold my tongue. Add this to the guilt that I now have because I’ve not shown up as my best self and then I’m in a real tornado of self demoralisation and crisis control. 

Contrary to popular belief, uncomfortable feelings, such as stress –  are good! They are great in fact. Your feelings and emotions are what protect you, like fight or flight. Negative emotions are good, as long as we do not unpack and move into them. Anxiety, stress and overwhelm show us there is something wrong with what we are doing. We are working too hard, ignoring our own self care, or need to look into our traumas and work with someone supportive. Positive emotions are also good for us. Love, happiness and joy tell us what is fun for us, what we enjoy and what sets our souls on fire. Without the yin and yang of the two, we would struggle to decipher what we want and don’t want. 

In the fast-paced world we live in, we are taught to work as hard as we can and to sleep when we are dead so as to be successful or fulfilled, and the truth is quite the opposite. We must take time to sit with ourselves and feel into our emotions to better understand who we are and what we want. When we get feelings of overwhelm, that is our body telling us to slow down, take a break and breathe. 

When we ignore the feelings and try to move around them, instead of sitting with them, they get worse. We are not giving our minds and bodies the rest it is screaming out for. We are not creating a healthy, loving and kind space for ourselves. Instead, we are working ourselves into overwhelm and this can cause us to crash. 

Next time when stress, anxiety, or overwhelm make an appearance in your day, take a minute to stop. Stop whatever it is that you are doing and do something that makes you calm instead. 

For me, I sit in a comfortable place that feels safe. If I am not at home, I go for a walk while listening to music that I know makes me happy. I meditate or take 10 long, deep breaths. I listen to my body and do the nice, calm and kind things for myself UNTIL the feelings subside. 

Our bodies and minds are our temples.
Our health and mental wellbeing is our responsibility.
We must take the first steps into caring for ourselves and our bodies to get the most out of our lives. 

Remember – you do not need to live in stress & overwhelm. That is not a necessary part of your life.