This helps underwhelm overwhelm

What does overwhelm feel like?

You have felt it before.

The thick, heavy weight in your shoulders. The knot in your throat. The pulsating echo of your fastened heart beat.

Perhaps it feels like there is an endless stream of water flooding over you and encompassing your entire body? Or maybe you feel like you are stuck beneath something large and obstructive, unable to move.

You are frozen and that block in your mind has you at a gridlock.

While you’re at a standstill

Your mind takes advantage of your vulnerability and accumulates more ‘evidence’ to push you deeper below the huge block paralysing you in the process.

Eep! This was me just the other day.

The huge block sideswiped me. It was one of my good ol’ favourites: Expectation (my own I assure you!)

I was avoiding and delaying starting something that was important to me and as a result, found myself going around and around in circles, aimlessly. Then I stopped and realised that this was..

not serving me in any way shape or form.

My go-to remedy when I am overtaken by overwhelm is a mini tune-up balance on myself (which I can teach you), but today I really felt the urge to stay put and break-it-down on paper. So I created…

The list.

I got busy writing a list. Oh, it was intense and this came as a surprise to me because I love the list. Lists have been my companion in getting stuff done, but on this particular day I was really feeling the heat.

This meant something big to me. By writing this list, I realised I was making a commitment to getting ‘the work’ done so I could be seen in the world, and that was scary. My list tells me how I want to show up in the world, and at the same time, opens up space for me to question my intentions and expectations. My mind started to utter the words: What if I’m wrong? What if I can’t do this?

Yes, I had a case of the what if’s…

Once I deciphered my reasons for overwhelm and the power of my lingering expectations and doubts, I looked at my list and befriended it again.

Lists are conducive to clear thinking and help us to deliver outcomes, but be warned, they do come with a dollop of resistance too!

This resistance is good. It’s the ego serving you up a side of fear because you are bridging on success, power and positive change – the stuff the ego likes to keep small.

My advice. Don’t despise the list. Love the list!

New environment.

When you feel the signs of overwhelm encroach upon you, make the soulful decision to step away from your current environment and space, and shake it up!

It’s amazing how making the call to take a walk along the beach, move to a café you love to do your afternoon’s work, take a stroll around the block of your work space or office, or simply shuffle from your lounge room to your garden can reposition your overwhelm.

Notice the change in your energy.

The shift in your perspective. A new space brings new inspiration, new hope and new understanding.

Are you able to move forward and make progress now?

I find great solace in standing at the ocean’s edge, listening to the rise and fall of the waves. It centres my energy and grounds me into the present moment. Before long I realise the overwhelm I am feeling is not necessary and has been created by no one else but me.

Nature has an amazing ability to heal what needs to be healed. Next time overwhelm strikes, remove yourself from your surroundings and join Mother Nature. She’ll share with you her wisdom.

Breathe.

Ok, overwhelm has well and truly over-ridden your day. Those well-intentioned plans have been thrown to the way side, and now you’re feeling guilty for feeling overwhelmed.

The cycle is exhausting isn’t it?

In this moment right now you have the tools to firstly manage your overwhelm, and then, bedridden with it.

The answer lies in your breath.

Wherever you are, close your eyes, take deep breaths in through your nose and fill your chest all the way to the sides of your lungs. Hold for a moment then release through your mouth.

Do this 5-10 times then return to normal breathing, keeping your eyes closed.