How to get off the wheel of overwhelm
rachel Coffey
Feelings of overwhelm can play a big part in how stressed or anxious we are. This past year has seen a significant increase in stress and anxiety with a massive 74% of us reporting overwhelm at some point over the last 12 months. Overwhelm can feel debilitating, robbing us of a sense of control, a heavy imposing weight stopping us moving forward. It doesn’t need to be that way though.
We can learn to look at things from a completely fresh perspective. We can get a strategy together that prevents us diving into that dark pool, that can feel so difficult to get out of. Through coaching it is amazing how quickly the clouds can lift. Organising our thoughts, getting a handle on our emotions - and such a huge relief. In the mean time though if you have been hit with a feeling of overwhelm here are some tips to use in the moment;
Pause, don’t run - the impulse can be run away from the feeling, but doing so usually leads to more panic. Whenever we try to run we add to the feeling of being chased. Instead, imagine pausing for a moment, what you’ll find is that the feeling can be paused too, giving you a welcome moment to recover.
Breathe & settle - once paused, breathe gentle, low relaxed breaths and allow the adrenaline in your system to settle. Even if you are feeling scared, stick with it. That relaxed breath will divert the energy to a calmer place and you’ll begin to feel more of a sense of control.
Don’t dig, distance - it can be tempting to go down the rabbit hole of overwhelm, where thoughts whirr and feelings run away with themselves. This just gets us deeper into the feeling, sometimes creating a cycle that’s hard to jump out of. Instead step back and imagine physically distancing yourself from the feeling, steadily pushing it away to a safe distance where it can’t harm you.
Shift your focus - now you've stepped away, momentarily change your focus to something with a completely different kind of energy. Just going for a walk, talking to someone or making a cup of tea can help. It is a way of separating yourself from the thoughts you were having, so that you can address it from a healthier perspective.
3 steps forward - once you're no longer ‘in’ the feeling, from a safe distance, look what it was that you were feeling overwhelmed about. It’s important not to engage in a conversation with the feeling. More objectively look at the issue and decide on 3 next steps that will do that will allow you to feel better and help deal with it. This might be about seeking help, it may be choosing to make a call and speak to someone, you might even find there are some solutions you hadn’t seen. Writing a list of ideas can stop the whirr, help you make decisions and move forward.
All of these will help you when overwhelm hits. If you’d like overcome it, #coaching coaching can help you completely #change perspective and feel more in control once again. Getting a strategy together to see things differently and move forward in a more positive and much less stressful way.