I wanted to write today about feeling overwhelmed. Why? Because that’s how I feel, probably more often than I should, and I wanted to let you know that that’s OK. Whilst feeling overwhelmed isn’t particularly healthy, it is natural and as long as you know how to deal with it and make yourself feel better, it’s actually not a bad idea to ‘sit with’ feeling overwhelmed to help you recognise what’s going on and why.
So here’s my confession:
- I work way too much. So much so my boss instructed me to get on a dating website so I’d get out and get a life.
- I can count the number of friends I have on my fingers – I am not a social butterfly and HATE small talk.
- My writing is my escape, but I often worry it’s not good enough (then push that to one side and carry on).
- I don’t do yoga as often as I should for someone who goes on and on about the benefits.
- I have no solid idea of how I’m going to get to where I want to be this time next year – there are a lot of different plans and I don’t know which one will actually work.
Want to know why I told you all that stuff? Because I’m not perfect. I haven’t got it all together and despite all the stuff I write about mindfulness, I still feel overwhelmed by everything that is going on in my life.
It’s not a case of having to have a perfect life, it’s a case of understanding yourself, your emotions and how you react to stuff. Then feeling those feelings and deciding on the best way forward, for you.
The only way to do this is to listen to your body. Take time out, be still and quiet and listen for what comes out. Even 5 minutes listening to the noise your body makes when you breathe can give your brain the time it needs to recuperate and come up with an answer.
Why not go to bed ten minutes earlier tonight and see what happens?
Does this make sense to you? Let me know in the comments below!