Feeling overwhelmed is something we all experience at some point. It literally makes a part of your brain shut down. You might feel fatigue, sensory overload, or just plain burned out. You could experience a flood of thoughts, confusion, anxiety, and even physical symptoms like sweating or panic. When this happens, it might feel like you want to shut down, curl into a ball, and give up. But here’s something you can do instead.
First, take a deep breath. In through your nose, hold it for a moment, and then out through your mouth. This helps calm your nervous system.
Next, grab a large piece of paper and do a brain dump. Write down everything that’s in your head. Don’t worry about grammar, neatness, or spelling. Just get everything out onto the paper.
Now, get a highlighter. Look at your list and highlight the things you can control. External events, the news, and other people’s actions are out of your control. Examples of things you can control might be setting a boundary or completing a task you’ve been putting off.
Once you’ve highlighted the things within your control, take another deep breath.
Now, from the highlighted items, circle one or maybe two things that you can do right now. And then, go do them.
When you’ve done those things, take that piece of paper and throw it away. Yes, that’s right, get rid of it. You’ve taken action when you felt like you couldn’t. That’s a great achievement.
Feeling overwhelmed can be paralyzing, but by breaking it down into manageable steps and focusing on what you can control, you can take back your power and move forward. Remember, you’ve got this.