My client just told me she is overwhelmed. She has a senior job in a global organization, family pressures (read partner and kid issues) , is moving house and has no idea how she’s going to manage it all.
She is absolutely floundering right now, and that breaks my heart because she is actually so incredibly capable, yet she’s lost all her confidence because she can’t think straight with all that’s on her plate.
So, overwhelm….I’ve been hearing this word a lot lately. We all have a lot going on and
as women we often find ourselves saying yes to everything. Sure, it’s true that knowing our boundaries and holding fast to them is a critical skill and I’ll write about that in another blog. But today as I write, what feels most important is helping her to nourish herself so she can actually tame those feelings of overwhelm.
It’s true that my client has a lot going on and those stress and pressure feelings are very real. So for now, it’s about taking small steps of self care, finding ways to not let her stress get in the way of being present with herself.
Here’s 5 simple self care tips that I shared with her to help nourish herself straight away:
Get up from the desk and go for a walk - sounds so easy but we often struggle to justify the time it takes, right? If we can go for even 5 or 10 minutes around the block, we will find the change of air and scenery can shift our energy. Even better if you give yourself 30 mins!
Put on some favorite music and dance! It has the power to literally transform the atmosphere and soothe.
Take some slow deep breaths. Find a comfortable seat and place your feet firmly on the ground. Let your breath flow as deep down in your belly as is comfortable, without forcing it. Try breathing in through your nose and out through your mouth. Breathe IN gently and regularly - you might try counting steadily 1 to 5, then let it flow OUT gently, counting 1 to 5 again. Keep doing this for at least 5 minutes.
Make a list of what is overwhelming you. When you see things written out, it can make them seem less scary and threatening.
Reach out to a friend - social support from people who appreciate and value you is critical.
So over the course of a couple of weeks between our sessions, my client found that as she tried these tips, her sense of overwhelm lessened. She felt “lighter”and more able to plan how to manage the issues in front of her. Things started to feel more possible and she felt more confident about handling them.
If you feel overwhelmed, try these tips. If you want to talk more about how to tame the beast of overwhelm, click on the button below and we can set up a time to talk. I’d love that.
Comments