How To Reduce Feelings of Overwhelm:
Have you ever felt so overwhelmed that it felt like every little thing was consuming you? Some days you have got so many things going on in your life, you just don’t know what to do or which one to do first. You are simply stuck, frozen.
The feelings of overwhelm can occur when we are facing any severe physical or mental health illness, poor health and nutrition, financial insecurity, death of a loved one or personal traumas, relationship issues, significant life changes, etc. To give the technical term: Being emotionally overwhelmed means to be completely submerged by your thoughts and emotions about all of life’s current problems, to the point where you lack efficacy and feel frozen or paralyzed.
No matter how strong we are, there are times in our lives we get overwhelmed and need help to push back the negative thoughts and stand up again. Today we are going to talk to Veteran holistic physician, Dr. Bradley Nelson about how to reduce feelings of overwhelm.
Dr. Brad’s Tips for Reducing Feelings of Overwhelm:
“No matter how well adjusted or organized we are, we are all prone to feeling overwhelmed,” Dr. Brad says. “While feeling overwhelmed is common, it’s important to look out for your emotional and physical health by eliminating or reducing that negative energy.”
1 . Learn to Say No —
“Even if you’re already feeling overwhelmed, there are things and people you want to say yes to: social activities, service opportunities, your boss, your kids. But ask yourself if all those obligations are really necessary. If it’s going to stress you out, politely say no. If your boss is expecting an unrealistic deadline, remind her or him of everything on your plate and propose a different solution. If you need a personal time out from being with or helping people, take one. It’ll help you be more effective when you’re back at it!”, says Dr. Brad.
As most of us are working from home right now and this is a new experience for many people, it can get overwhelming quickly. I have talked about this in my latest article- Working from Home Myths & Tips: Sharing My 6-years Worth of Experience. Read the article and use the tips, your work-from-home experience can surely be improved.
2 . Let Go of Perfectionism —
Dr. Brad says- “Sometimes we need to learn to let go of the need to control everything or have it all turn out perfectly. No matter what people choose to show (and filter) on social media, nobody’s life is perfect. Let go of the thought of being the ideal family, spouse, or parent. Setting realistic goals is one thing (and a good thing!) but expecting perfection of yourself, others, or the circumstances of life may easily lead to feeling overwhelmed.”
Suggested read: Self-Talk: Building a Positive Relationship with YOU
3 . Simplify —
“Take regular stock of the ways you might be needlessly complicating your schedule, expectations, or day-to-day living. What can you cut loose, at least for now?”, Dr. Brad says.
Sometimes simplifying our everyday routine makes things easier and make us work efficiently. For example, If you are looking for a therapist, finding one online is also super simple nowadays. BetterHelp is a great website to get you started. Read about BetterHelp here.
Another example I can mention is that, you do not have to follow a 10 step routine for your skincare every morning. You can just choose a multi-use product and call it a day. Read more on: 5 Reasons Why You Should Not Do a Full Beauty Routine in the Morning.
4 . Free Yourself Emotionally —
“When life seems to pile up, you might have so many things on your task list that you don’t even know where to begin. No matter the cause, when you’re truly feeling overwhelmed you might be so stressed that you’re enveloped in negative energy. You might feel frustrated, angry, or confused more easily than you otherwise would.”
“Letting go of emotional baggage like stress and overwhelm can reduce your tendency to fall back into those feelings at the drop of a hat,” Dr. Brad says. “Releasing that energy could be key to breaking free from feeling overwhelmed — a potentially damaging pattern that may affect your emotional and physical health.”
Covid-19 got you overwhelmed? Here’s How to practice mental health care during COVID-19
I hope you found this article useful. Just to be clear, the purpose of this article is to provide general knowledge from an expert. If you need to talk to someone, talk to your therapist or a medical practitioner for proper guidance.
About Dr. Bradley Nelson:
Veteran holistic physician, Dr. Bradley Nelson (D.C., ret) is one of the world’s foremost experts on natural methods of achieving wellness. He has trained thousands of certified practitioners worldwide to help people overcome physical and emotional discomfort by releasing their emotional baggage. His best-selling book “The Emotion Code” provides step-by-step instructions for working with the body’s energy healing power. A newly revised and expanded edition of “The Emotion Code” is now available from St. Martin’s Press. For more information and a free Emotion Code Starter Kit, visit www.emotioncodegift.com.
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