Have you ever had a day where your mind feels completely overwhelmed? Spinning off in a thousand different directions with all the things you could be doing, ought to be doing, must do? So much so that you end up feeling like you’re in the eye of a hurricane, you can’t think straight, and you worry that, yet again, you’re feeling fit for nothing?
That was me yesterday. In my own anxiety journey I like to think I’ve got things pretty much under control, but there are still days when it’s just not so.
When that used to happen, I wanted to crawl away and hide, thinking that if I kept very still, no one would notice that I wasn’t at my desk, doing the busy and important work that everyone else was doing.
The truth is that days like this can and do happen, no matter where you are on your anxiety journey, and how well you feel most of the time. The trick is to accept this fact and have a fall-back plan.
That plan might simply be to give yourself a break, and take the pressure off. Sometimes that is what’s needed, because the load you carry really is too much.
Alternatively, depending on how you’re feeling, the plan might be to change your state, physically, mentally, and emotionally.
Solutions!
Happily there are a tonne of ways to do that, like going for a walk outside, ideally in a park or nature, but round the block will do. Or walking on the spot for 10 minutes while watching something on you tube if the weather is not to your liking. It’s a great way to alter your state of mind and give your body a shake up so the anxious feelings have somewhere to dissipate.
Being an analytical person, I like to try to work out where my overwhelm is coming from. For that, I like tapping, or EFT, as it’s amazing what comes up when I trust the process and allow my mind to go where she wants, not where I think she should go. It’s like letting my unconscious mind out of the cage and into the wild blue yonder, where she can express herself, and tell me what the story really is, that needs some attention. And in doing this, I found that my overwhelm came from a place of not understanding what my next step was.
I hate not knowing what’s what; have you ever felt that way? Most of us feel more comfortable when the way ahead is clear. When it’s not, that creates anxiety, doubt, and uncertainty, and sadly, those
things don’t actually help in finding the way ahead! So it’s important to work through those feelings in a way that works for you, and release the energy they’re creating, leaving you free to find, and then take, your next right step.
I’m happy to say this is what happened for me yesterday. I was able to get calm, understand my overwhelm, and take my next right step. I know my destination, but I don’t always know how I’m going to get there. All I do know is the next step, and that’s OK for now!
If this resonates with you, then please know you are not alone. There are many ways that you can find to help yourself, and they may not be the same as the ways that work for me – after all, you’re an individual with your own experiences and preferences. My therapeutic work in helping people overcome anxiety and sleep difficulties centres on understanding the person I’m working with and finding ways to support her individual needs. Talking about getting support can feel like a massive step, and indeed it is. But remember this – as soon as you’re talking with someone, you are no longer alone.
Would you like to begin taking your next right step toward your destination? Let’s have a chat (click here to book a call at no cost), and see where your journey is taking you.
Take good care x
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