5 Steps to Overcoming Overwhelm
It’s hard to be pleasant, patient or relaxed when we’re frustrated, anxious or worried. Most of us are not at our best when overwhelmed with sadness, fear or anxiety.
When we say we’re overwhelmed, we usually mean overcome by strong emotions – emotions that can be positive or negative but are so powerful they prevent us from enjoying the moment or even functioning effectively.
Feelings of overwhelm may last a short time or go on for a long time – for some of us, they may become chronic. When we feel overwhelmed, we miss opportunities of all kinds and just can’t pull ourselves out of the mire to do what we need to do to feel better.
Overwhelm sends our thoughts down a path that has us believing the situation is “too much,” so we shut down, we can’t process our thoughts and may turn to unhealthy behaviors like overeating, drinking, shopping, overworking, etc. More than anything, we want to avoid or numb the feelings.
Some of us slow down and some of us speed up, but at either extreme, overwhelm has us in its grip. We can’t reason with it. We can’t seem to rise above it. So, what can we do?
There’s a very simple and efficient way to manage overwhelm using nothing but pen and paper.
A growing number of people are taking control of some part of their day – any part of their day (no amount of time is too small), to write down their thoughts. Some pour their lives onto the page in an organized fashion and some simply sit with a journal and doodle illegibly. Either extreme and everything in between can be helpful.
Overwhelm is an emotional reaction to thoughts. Once we recognize that we’re in a state of overwhelm, we can interrupt the train of thought – and then we can replace it with a sense of calm rather than fear or anxiety.
The key when journaling to manage overwhelm is to set aside some time to focus on writing down your thoughts. You can use your journal to reframe your thinking, vent your frustration, express your confusion, describe your day or simply focus your mind. If your intention is there, it interrupts the cycle of overwhelm.
Here are five steps to using your journal to successfully overcome overwhelm.
- Recognize that you’re feeling overwhelmed
- Find a comfortable place to journal
- Take a deep breath and focus your attention on your journal
- Make it your goal just to become aware of your thoughts with no judgement
- Write whatever comes to mind.
People who journal often say that writing has an overall calming effect. In the words you write and the feelings you express, you’re likely to find you’re working towards the real reasons you feel overwhelmed.
Many people – those new to journaling and those who’ve been doing it most of their lives, marvel at the power of putting their thoughts down on paper. By the end of their writing time, their breathing has slowed, their state of mind is more relaxed and their outlook has shifted from worried or frustrated to one that is more positive.
The next time you feel overwhelmed, grab your journal and use the prompt “I feel overwhelmed because…” Replace the word overwhelmed with something that describes how you feel in the moment and start journaling!
For a wide variety of journals with different interiors and covers, visit Premise Content on Amazon.com.
Learn about the connection between food and feelings in my book: Food Crazy Mind: 5 Steps to Stop Mindless Eating and Start a Happier, Healthier Relationship with Food
