Welcome to the Season of Overwhelm
It is not uncommon to enter this “most joyful time of year” and feel overwhelmed. For some it is full of starting new businesses, soccer tournaments, cross country moves, or new jobs. For others it may be planning baby showers and weddings, navigating social challenges, or counting down the days until school break…whatever the details are, the overall sentiment is the same: sometimes it just feels like too much!
When I reach this “too much” point I try to focus on three things:
Take care of the basics. I tell this to my soccer players when they are buried in their heads and are not playing their best. Get back to the basics: collect the ball, pass to feet, stay on your mark. Return to the simplest things you know you can do.
The same goes for day to day tasks. What are the simplest, most essential things that need to happen? Get decent sleep (at least manage the factors you can control), drink water, exercise (maybe at a lower intensity), and eat good food. The food one is the most challenging for me, so when things get hectic, I need to make some extra effort to prepare food ahead of time. It makes a huge difference in my stress levels when I do.
Rest when you can. Weekends full? Find pockets of time during the week and designate them as unofficial “weekends”. Take some time that would usually be work time and let it be rest time. The work isn’t going anywhere. Or even, dare I say it, say “no” to things that are not essential (or just absolutely so fun you can’t resist). Crazy, right?? Also, consider that not all rest has to be horizontal. Some “rest” actually looks like replenishing activities: going for a walk, taking a book and a snack to a pretty park, asking someone for a really good hug…
Visit your feelings. Some call it meditation, but sometimes I find meditation only adds to the overwhelm once I’m there (what do you mean just sit and feel calm??). A more useful approach for me is to visit my feelings. Cry if needed, fall asleep for a minute if needed, maybe feel calm for a few minutes… just allow yourself to feel the full extent of feelings swirling around. Suppressing them only gives them strength. I like to set a timer, sit, close my eyes and tell myself that “all feelings are welcome here” and then just see what comes up.
There is a lot that we cannot control, so I find that it helps to identify a few simple things that we can. It’s easy to get flustered in the overwhelm, but there will always be cycles of increased stress and there are still lovely, joyful moments mixed in, don’t get in the habit of just wishing the time away!
Good luck out there. I’m rooting for us!
Originally posted November 15, 2022.
