So often in our lives, we feel like we can barely keep it together. We are so overwhelmed that the thought of adding one more thing can really disrupt our day. Then something comes along and really throws off our schedule and we panic. We call this living unconsciously. We let the world and life happen to us and we are merely here trying to hold it all together. We feel out of control so we try to hold onto any control we can. 

Why We Get Overwhelmed 

When we are in this state it is really important to slow down. A lot of people will say “But I can’t slow down, that is the problem.” Often times we want to slow down our actions, but what if we started with our mind? 

Most of the time when we are feeling overwhelmed it is created because of the thoughts we are thinking. Our mind is running a million miles a minute and it makes us feel like we can’t manage the task we need to complete. When you can slow down your mind, you are able to start releasing the feelings of overwhelm and start to relax. 

Actions You Can Take To Relax

When you are feeling overwhelmed there are some actions you can take to help yourself relax. 

Pause

The first thing to do is to pause. Take a moment. Don’t give in to your mind telling you to rush. When we are overwhelmed our thoughts tell us a panicked story. We aren’t going fast enough, we don’t have enough time, there are too many things to do. When we get caught in this we try to move as fast as our thoughts. The opposite is actually what you want to do. When your mind is racing, slow your body down. 

Deep Breathing

Next, take a couple of deep breathes. The majority of the stress in our lives we create for ourselves. Taking a couple of deep breaths will disrupt your panicked breathing and help slow down your thoughts. 

Listen To Your Thoughts

The next thing is to learn how to listen to your thoughts. What are your thoughts saying to you? Are they truth or are they lies? Learning how to manage your mind is one of the most important aspects of living a peaceful life.  In the beginning, the easiest way to listen to your thoughts is to write them down. Make sure as you are writing you are not judging your thoughts. Let all thoughts be allowed. This way you can get an accurate idea of the thoughts that make you feel overwhelmed. 

What Do You Want To Think Instead

Lastly, what peaceful thoughts do you want to think instead? Some examples could be, I am relaxed as I take action. I have enough time. Everything will get done. When you can start speaking new thoughts you will start to change your habits. 

XO,

Ellie Curry