If we want to reduce our overwhelmed and stressful feeling, we need to take small steps.
I try to control my environment and eliminate things like clutter, unnecessary to-dos, or events I am not interested in attending. It takes some time to know what activities or actions give you peace of mind.
There are millions of people on this planet having the same feeling as you do. People overcome their overwhelming feelings and continue to live their lives.
Realizing you are not your thoughts will make it easier to move past them and to tackle the issues that cause the feeling of overwhelm in the first place.
Take a break when you notice the first signs of stress. Take a step back and ask yourself what you need, mentally and physically.
Listen to yourself and listen to your body. If your body tells you that you’re doing too much or that you’re not doing the right things, it may be right.
Small steps are crucial. I find small steps to be one of my favorite coping strategies. It feels doable at the moment, without inviting chronic stress into your life.
When those kinds of default behaviors kick in, I know there’s something I need to change. Often, just starting is one of the most important parts of that. 99% of the time, it isn’t as bad as you thought.
Don’t pressure yourself into situations or things you don’t want to do. I know we are all very good at saying yes and trying to please everyone, but it’s perfectly fine to say no.
Focus on the fact that the small changes you’re introducing in your life will affect you. Even if you can’t see it at this moment, the change will come.
Focusing your attention on the present has the most potential of losing the overwhelmed feeling that you currently have.
You don’t have to be even all the time. There are seasons when you have more bandwidth and can give more.