“It’s not the daily increase but daily decrease. Hack away at the unessential” Bruce Lee.
We all have days, weeks, months or even years, where stress gets the better of us and we crack under the pressure.
Stress is a part of the modern world and some of us do really well under lots of stress – it forces us out of our comfort zone, leading to growth and change.
The biggest trait in those who manage stress well is their ability to be resilient when facing challenging situations.
If you’re someone who gets overwhelmed easily, or if you’re currently overwhelmed, try some of these suggestions to help you shift out of overwhelm and build your resilience toolbox.
CHECK YOURSELF BEFORE YOU WRECK YOURSELF
When we are stressed to the max we are living in our head, and we cut ourselves off from our emotions.
By asking yourself “what am I feeling right now?” we can stay connected to our emotions and do something to get back on track sooner.
Follow with the question “what’s one thing I can do for myself right now, no matter how small, to feel better than I do right now?”
Then go and do that thing.
EXERCISE
Getting enough exercise, as well as the right kind of exercise, is vital to reducing stress hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline, as well as improving our sleep and mental health.
It’s important to note though that if you’ve been stressed for a while and you’re also feeling burnt out, that smashing yourself at the gym won’t help – in this case, steer clear of intense exercise and stick with walking, yoga and Pilates, swimming and other gentle exercise. That way you won’t be burning out more but you’ll still reap the benefits.
REFLECTION
Reflecting on where you’re at is a useful tool that the most successful peeps keep in their toolbox.
Ask yourself questions like “how did I end up here? What were my triggers? What were the warning signs? Did I listen to my gut feeling or ignore my intuition? What could I do differently? What toxic people/places/things aren’t helpful to me right now and what can I do about it?”
Write out your answers and see if you can make any changes based on what you find.
MEDITATION
Even if it’s only deep breathing for 2 minutes, there are massive benefits to regular meditation. We often have very shallow breathing when stressed, so spending a few minutes in meditation helps us connect back with our breathing which helps reduce stress hormones in the body.
SELF-CARE
Ensuring that you take care of yourself through enough sleep, proper nutrition and rest is vital – but I’m also talking about taking time out to nourish yourself by doing whatever soothes your soul.
For me, it’s walks on the beach, watching a sunset, having a massage, a hot bath and a book, and cuddles with my family.
What is it for you?
SOCIAL MEDIA/TECHNOLOGY BREAK
We live in a world where we can be switched on 24/7. We’ve never been more connected, and yet never so disconnected.
Take a day, week, or even a few hours away from technology, get out into nature, and see what it does for your mind.
TALK IT OUT
A good brain dump with a friend is helpful – as long as they don’t keep you stuck in the drama. Talk for as long as you need to, to get the negative thoughts out of your head. Then start focusing on the solutions instead of staying in the problem.
GROUND YOURSELF
Because we are in our heads when we’re stressed out, our energy is usually not 100% in our bodies leaving us ungrounded. This shows up as procrastination, excessive thinking, daydreaming and feeling like a space cadet.
Get out into nature – or even just a patch of grass – and put your bare feet on the ground. This fills our bodies with negative ions which nourish us and keep us grounded, which has a multitude of health benefits including reducing inflammation in the body, which is rampant during stressful times.
WRITE IT OUT
Get everything out of your head and onto paper – writing is so cathartic and helps us to receive the solutions to our challenges.
Nobody ever has to see what you’ve written – burn it for an extra cathartic release.
TAP IT OUT
I love EFT – emotional freedom technique – for releasing overwhelm. It really takes the edge off how you’re feeling to become more present.
FORGIVE AND RELEASE
Forgiveness is such a powerful tool to use to help heal the hurts of the past. Check out my blog and video interview for a detailed explanation of how I use forgiveness to support my clients.
ASK FOR HELP
We tend to get into overwhelm as we are driven by the belief that we have to do it all ourselves. Remember it’s more than ok to reach out and ask for help – this isn’t a weakness, it’s a strength!
I hope you find these tips useful – I’d love to hear what helps you get out of overwhelm.
If you’re currently struggling with overwhelm then get in touch with me to see how I can help.
Catcha on the flip side,
Coach Carly xx
If you’re currently struggling and are just about surviving, I designed a program just for you to help you ditch the crap that’s holding you back and start living life again.
