How Do You Handle Overwhelm?

Mindfulness is a key ingredient in recognizing and working with overwhelm.

Photo by Steven Wei on Unsplash

Overwhelm is an unpleasant feeling.

Often, when we become overwhelmed we do not even realize it until it is too late.

This is specifically about being personally overwhelmed, as opposed to the overwhelm of negative information in the world. Personal overwhelm is not negative in and of itself but tends to lead to negative feelings.

What is personal overwhelm? Personal overwhelm is when you are thinking, feeling, and doing many things all at once. It involves any combination of thoughts, feelings, and actions in various proportions. Initially, you just feel as if you are busy and getting busier. Often, overwhelm hits very suddenly and without warning.

Let’s say you are planning a major life event. The details, the people involved, the coordination and anything else associated with it. On top of that, working a job. Additionally, you have things which you take on as your responsibility for friends and family. Further, you desire time for yourself.

That’s a lot right there. Let’s say on top of it you also add an illness, car problems, arguments with people, unhelpful salespeople, weather, appointments to be kept, and you need to think about your next meal, and getting the dog to the groomers, and…