How Well Do You Handle Overwhelm?

September 13, 2022 Jeannine Roy

The business of summer is behind us and we’re now turning our attention to fall schedules and routines. Our regular, jam-packed agendas can easily lead to overwhelm as you may know all too well.

When overwhelm strikes, it’s easy to feel powerless and immobile.

Everything feels too fast, too big, too much.

When we’re overwhelmed, just making dinner can become a monumental effort.

I invite you to press “pause” and take a few minutes for yourself. Go through the Thriving list below to see how well you’ve learned to deal with overwhelm.

I try to remember that I don’t have to do everything myself. I ask others for help and gather a support team about me.
As often as I can remember, I stop for a moment and take several deep, slow breaths, breathing in through the nose and out through the mouth, restoring my sense of calm.
I graciously say “No” to new requests for my time, and I try to renegotiate previous commitments so I can regroup.
I resist the frantic voice inside that says, “You don’t have time!” and take a short break to sit or lie down for a few minutes because I know it will make me feel as though I actually have more time.
I light a candle and keep it near me.
I watch a funny video. Laughter has a very positive effect on brain chemistry.
I go outdoors for a few minutes when I can. Taking time to notice the joyful details of nature—a leaf, a ladybug, a snowflake—is very regenerative.
Even if for only 10 minutes, I do some form of movement—dancing, jogging, walking, yoga. I know that exercise increases adrenaline and endorphins, the body’s natural antidepressants.
When I need to drown out the negative chatter in my overwhelmed state, I hum, I observe my breath moving in and out, or I quietly sing to myself. It soothes me and helps me focus on “one step at a time.”
I have a practice of meditating or praying for a few minutes each morning, which keeps me tethered to myself and grounded during the times when overwhelm wants to scatter my energy to the wind.
I write in my journal as fast as I can for 15 minutes without editing or judging. This “brain dump” helps clear my mind and move away from overwhelm.
On my walks (with the dog or alone), I whisper to myself all the things for which I forgive myself.
When the pressure of overwhelm feels unbearable, I listen to music that helps me to cry. The crying helps wash away the overwhelm and bring me back to my strength.
I repeat the following several times: “I have abundant time and energy.”
I keep a list of all the things that help me re-connect with myself, that help me re-collect and re-focus my energy inside, so that when overwhelm begins to visit, I can remind myself of things that have worked in the past.

Overcoming overwhelm isn’t about measuring accomplishment. It’s about connecting with what has meaning for us, with what feeds and enlivens us.

Feeling connected then connects us to the natural fuel for getting things done.

If you’d like some help working through overwhelm and aligning better with your values and needs, don’t hesitate to contact me.

With joy and gratitude,

Jeannine