Heads Up! You who are Overwhelmed

The world is more hopeful but it is still really hard for a lot of people. That may be you, or it may be someone you know. I've counseled people lately who are struggling to want to stay alive, much less thrive.

The pandemic brought restrictions to our freedoms, cutoffs in relationships, and confusion, resulting in high levels of stress to everyone. If you also have unreasonably demanding work responsibilities and you see no way out, you get overwhelmed. Enthusiasm in your work is lost, and you become unhappy and stuck.

Overwhelmed, according to dictionary.com is "to feel submerged, engulfed." To overwhelm is to "overcome utterly." That is an image of a tsunami, a massive flood that can't be stopped. One rarely survives such a flood, escape before it arrives would be the best salvation. Old English origins of the word overwhelm include ideas of being bent over and covered. Being overwhelmed is to be buried or drowned beneath a huge mass.

Being overwhelmed zaps energy and steals motivation. So, it feels impossible to continue in overwhelming life circumstances.

We can't change the world, but there are things to do to get stronger in the face of overwhelm. Why not try something different? Maybe you can avoid the worst damage, maybe you can heal.

A simple tip is to be in this moment. Notice the air, sounds, smells, and your feelings. Let thoughts subside and just be. This can be the beginning of coming up from burnout and overwhelm. Does this sound too simple? Simple is what you need. Just be here now. Get into nature if possible. Let the wonder of life speak to you, comfort, and bring you a spark to get restarted.

Another tip is to look for anything you can be glad of, that you can be grateful for. When we find the birdsong in the middle of the noise, it perks us up! When we recount a bad experience but notice that it could have gone worse, we can be grateful. When we remember stumped toes, broken bones, or illnesses and realize none of that is going on now, being thankful for that can raise our mood.

These are not cures, but the beginning of a remedy. Try being in this moment. Try being grateful for the little things. It can lift you up!