Everyone wants to overcome overwhelm and live a peaceful, happy and healthy life.
To feel fulfilled at work, cared for and supported at home.
Despite that, the frantic pace of modern-day life often leaves you feeling overwhelmed and you struggle to regain your focus and calm.
What Overwhelm Feels Like
Disconnected from loved ones and stressed-out.
Your nerves are fraught.
You get resentful by the demands placed on you at work and, powerless to say “NO” and when you get home you crash out, wired and tired.
You worry that you aren’t spending enough time with your children and can’t remember the last time you sat down and had an evening meal together without “work” rearing its ugly head.
You are sick of the Eat. Work. Sleep. Ride and long to get some headspace and calm back into your day so you can be present when home with your children.
So, let’s do it!
Let’s press pause for a minute.
Let’s focus on what you can do right now to overcome overwhelm, become calmer and finally be present with your family.
Sounds good?
Let’s start!
7 Ways to Overcome Overwhelming Feelings
#1 Go to the bathroom and make this sound
Making a sound is a great way to release negative energy.
The Lion’s Roar is a fun yoga breathing exercise. It helps release frustration, and you feel calmer and refreshed – especially when you feel under pressure.
How to do this:
- Sit comfortably, scrunch your face up, like a dried prune.
- Open your eyes. Open your mouth, stretch out your tongue, and Roarrrrrrlike a lion.
- Repeat 3 to 5 times.
#2 Generate positive energy in a heartbeat
Another way to release worries and calm your mind is the Bumble Bee breath.
How to do this:
- Sit up straight.
- Close your eyes and slowly breathe in through your nose, and as you breathe out, pretend you are a bumble bee. Make a long humming sound like a bumble bee as you breathe out.
- Breathe in.
- Repeat the Bumble Bee humming cycle for 3 to 5 cycles.
#3 Go Outside
When you feel overwhelmed, rather than numb out, if you are physically and emotionally able to, get outside and appreciate a change of scenery.
How to do this:
- Tuck your phone away into your pocket.
- If you can, take a leisurely stroll, or sit comfortably inside near an open window.
- Look up at the sky, breathe fully, and appreciate the different perspective looking up offers you.
#4 Get ready to hang like a rag-doll
When you are feeling overwhelmed and swamped with demands your body sags, you feel flat and you hunch your shoulders.
To overcome this state, hanging like a rag-doll helps release tension and eases tight back and neck muscles.
How to do this:
- Sit on a chair, breathe in, and as you breathe out, slowly bend your upper body forward toward the ground like a rag doll.
- Keep your buttocks on the chair. Let your arms hang loosely beside your legs or resting on your shins.
- Take 3- 5 deep breaths before slowly returning to an upright seated position.
#5 Get Loving
When we have too much stuff going on, it is hard to sieve out the noise.
Our thoughts become jangled and jumbled and we slip into negative self-talk.
Rather than be unkind to yourself, shift your focus and practice loving-kindness.
How to do this:
- Cross your arms across your chest.
- Tuck your chin in, lower your head towards your crossed arms. Close your eyes.
- Exhale. Slowly whisper to yourself, “I am becoming calmer. ”
- Repeat this phrase seven times with kindness.
- Give yourself a big hug, uncross your arms and smile.
#6 Get Loose
Yoga stretches do wonders to release tension in your body.
This seated yoga pose helps reduce tension in your shoulders.
How to do this:
- Sit up on a chair. Make sure your back is straight.
- Stretch your arms straight up over your head.
- Gently lean your body to the left, keep your bottom on the chair.
- Return to center and stretch over to the right.
- Repeat this exercise three to five times both sides.
#7 Gentleness is the way
We spend so much time rushing, being distracted and, multi-tasking, by the end of the day we are wired and tired.
To reduce this blinding pressure, press pause and practice this gentle meditation breathing exercise.
How to do this:
- Find somewhere safe and quiet and either sit in a relaxed position or lie down on your bed.
- Close your eyes.
- Breathe in through your nose for a count of four, breathe out through your nose for a count of four.
- Repeat this cycle five times.
- Then slowly open your eyes and gently shift into your day.
What’s Next?
Imagine how quiet and calm your mind will be when you practice one or two of these tips during the day.
Imagine waking up, your mind already on overdrive, and you do a few rounds of the Bumble Bee breath.
Instantly, you will feel clearer and can now start your day in a peaceful frame of mind.
How calming and soothing is that!
Or you could sit with your children and do the Lion Roaaaars together!
Crazy, I know.
But you’ll all laugh, you become calmer and get to spend a fun, happy and relaxed time with your family.
Bliss.
Photo by Priscilla Du Preez on Unsplash
N.B. I originally published 7 Ways to Defuse Overwhelm When Your Head Is Exploding on Medium
Hope you are enjoying a happy and memorable birthday, Nthathu! Here’s to a year which brings you your every desire.
Stay in blissful abundance. One love!
Mx