Stop Feeling Overwhelmed All the Time - 10 Ways Out

As an Ayurvedic counselor, I know the way to stop feeling overwhelmed all the time is by balancing the water element. Being an empath myself, feeling overwhelmed used to be a natural state of existence for me, it still is, to a great extent. I have learned to manage though and that is what I share here.

How to stop feeling overwhelmed all the time is a two-pronged process. The first is a quick-fix and the second is its prevention through lifestyle management.

The First Prong of How to Stop Feeling Overwhelmed

A few quick tips on how to interrupt your feelings of emotional burden and drowning.

1. Get Out of Jail

When you find yourself slipping through the quicksand of your emotions, get up and get out. Changing your physical state helps you stop the sinking.

Just like, you have an escape route handy from physical dangers, you need to have an escape route handy from this huge mass of emotions that compresses you beneath it.

• Step outside
• Go to another room
• Set a timer on and rearrange your pantry, closet, work area, etc.
• Take a shower
• Drink two cups of water
• Dance or do yoga for ten-fifteen minutes

2. Power of Imagery

Einstein said, “Imagination is the preview of life’s coming attraction.” So, starting today, imagine or visualize, picture or pretend a life filled and flooded with balance, harmony, peace, and prosperity.

Things in your life were a thought in your past. Life everyone else, you have an imagination. Use it to create a life you want and hold on to it for the day.

Whatever keeps you in an overburdened state, replace it with an image in your mind that’s at the other end of the spectrum.

For example, if you feel overwhelmed with your health, visualize your ideal yet realistic health. Lock this image within you and recall it anytime you feel the negative emotion rising within.

3. Breathwork

You are breathing all the time and you do not even think about it, do you? When you breathe consciously, you can fill yourself with more air. Through deep exhalations, you can breathe out the emotions surging within.

A simple exercise would be to count your breath from one to ten and then back from ten to one. It is as simple as that.

Now, for the second prong that helps you stop feeling overwhelmed all the time

A slight lifestyle change is all you need. When you feel that your world is crumbling and you are all alone and defeated, it’s time to commit yourself to a healthier lifestyle.

When you create a practice and commit yourself to it, the universe conspires on your behalf.

1. Knowledge is Power

Emotion = E+Motion.

The ‘E’ in Emotion is the energy. When your energy is in motion, you feel your life is flowing smoothly. When the energy is not in motion, that is when you feel overwhelmed.

In order to stop feeling overwhelmed, you could learn to regulate the elements.

The table below helps you understand the elements air, fire, water, and earth.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Elements         Regulate         When balanced                       When not-balanced
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Air                  Thoughts          Creativity                                Lost

Fire                 Willingness      Inspiration, Motivation           Angry, Survival & Fear

Water              Emotions          Compassion, Kindness           Overwhelm

Earth               Ability              Structure, Stability                 Stuck
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

You can see from the chart that overwhelm is caused by the imbalance of the water element. When you start feeling overwhelmed, drink some water. Imagine the water washing away the overwhelm and you can experience instant relief.

A habit of drinking water frequently ensures that you do not feel overwhelmed at all.

2. Create a Bedtime Routine

When you sleep better, you wake up better.
When you wake up better, you live through a better day.

Following are a few recommendations to do before bed. This will help you stop feeling overwhelmed during your waking hours.

• Turn off electronics ninety minutes before bed.
• Write out a plan for tomorrow
  • what to do
  • when to do
  • for how long
• A warm shower or a soak with essential oils and Epsom salt.
• A cup of warm bedtime tea with honey.

Disclaimer: from my years of practice, I have heard from my clients who use marijuana have that bedtime teas do not work for them.

• According to Healthline media, Magnesium before bed works.
• Journal the events and emotions from the day. Let your emotions rest in your journal, so you can sleep lighter.
• Restorative yoga for a minimum of twenty minutes.
• Put your legs up against the wall for twenty minutes.

The adage Rest is the Best medicine applies.

3. Suggestions for After You Wake Up

When you wake up in the morning and wonder what to do, there is no focus for your day and this gets overwhelming real quick.

• Start your day with
• A warm cup of green tea with lemon and honey
• A quick brisk walk
• Refer to today’s plan that you wrote out last evening

4. Healthy Boundaries

Just like you need healthy physical boundaries to feel physically safe, you also need healthy emotional boundaries to feel emotionally safe.

It’s important to know how much you have to do and how much space you have before you say ‘Yes’ to anyone, and anything.

Know your limits, honor your boundaries – both physical and emotional. The adage Mind your own business helps. Don’t give advice unless asked. Unless you want advice from people, do not tell people of all your troubles.

5. Loving-kindness

Practicing mindfulness prevents overwhelm. Say the loving-kindness prayer as often as needed.

The prayer is: “May all beings be well and happy”.

When you say it, even in silence you are included in your prayer and you feel better.

6. Outsource

Ask for help. Hire an assistant for a fee, or barter some service or products.

When you feel inundated with information, take action. You need either a healer, a therapist, a coach, or an accountability partner.

It’s always nice to have a sister to talk to, a friend to lean on. Even if both of you are feeling overwhelmed, being able to connect and share, makes you feel heard, understood.

Hiring a coach helps. A coach helps you work out a plan and keeps you accountable. As you move ahead in one direction you stop the overwhelm.

7. Oxygen-mask

When you board a flight as part of the safety instructions, you are told that in case of an emergency you must first put on the oxygen mask on yourself before you help a child or an elderly person next to you.

Similarly, when you are a care provider of children or elders, you need a care provider too. Let someone take care of you so you can take care of others.

Finally, focus on balance in the four areas of your life: spiritual, mental, emotional, and physical.

After you find the balance, work on sustaining it. To stop feeling overwhelmed, live life, one day at a time, one relationship at a time, one event at a time, one space at a time.

…………………..

Keya Murthy, M.S., works as a Spiritual Life Coach and Clinical Hypnotherapist. She is also an international best-selling author.

For regular tips on how to move beyond your circumstances to find your purpose and authentic happiness subscribe to her newsletter.