Feeling overwhelmed? Important elements of self-care, including sleep, nutrition, meditation, exercise, and hydration, are always important. In this blog, I offer some CompassionateTogether™ strategies that reduce overpowering thoughts and emotions.
5 Strategies to Practice
1. Trust yourself
Trusting yourself is a practice. Not trusting yourself is bound to bring anxiety and fear, common feelings contributing to being overwhelmed. Trusting yourself because your gut holds your Divine small still voice that is there to guide you.
Lean into your gut and say, “No wonder.” Lean into yourself and say, “I see you. I see me. I accept where I am at this moment and I know all things change.”
2. Breathe out
Holding one's breath is a normal reaction to stress, change, fear, and anxiety. Breathe out! Try it now.
Breathing out very slowly through pursed lips will send a signal to your brain that you are safe and there is no crisis.
During periods of overwhelm, make a point multiple times a day to breathe out slowly with intention.
3. Empty your cup
Emptying your cup is sharing, and this strategy is particularly important during times of change. Share what is overwhelming you: write it down or share with someone.
Finding someone with whom you can share can be a challenge if you do not have a therapist, coach, or spiritual mentor.
One option is to ask a trusted friend or family member to listen for 15 minutes without interruption: set a timer on your phone. After the 15 minutes, switch and do the same for your trusted other.
Another idea is to do what I call “speaking it” meditation: again, set an alarm and for no more than 15 minutes, talk out loud: speak what is going on inside and notice without judgment.
4. No such thing as failure
All of life is practice. When things do not go as planned, breathe and consider what happened as feedback.
Practice trusting that everything is working in your favor.
Stay on your own side with humility, i.e., stay teachable and open without shaming and blaming, and take responsibility for any mistakes.
Breathe out, knowing that when you make a decision, you can always make another one.
Humans are free to choose.
5. Toes up!
Whenever you are in a period of great change or creativity, the challenge is to relax and put your toes up when everything inside says, “Fight!”
Go with the flow. Trust your gut.
Trust your connection to your spiritual core, whatever that may be for you.
All is well, and all shall be well, somehow, some way.
To go with the flow, resist trying to control the tide of change.
When you notice any signs of fear or control, ask yourself if there is any action, however small, that will reduce the anxiety of the moment. If so, do that one thing. If there is no action to take, practice acceptance. Acceptance is often a gift of grace. Meditation can be helpful while we wait for the gift to arrive.
So there you have 5 complementary strategies to practice:
- Trust yourself
- Breathe out
- Empty your cup
- No such thing as failure
- Toes up!
How do you help your loved ones with this tide of change?
Remember these 5 tips:
- What others say is about them
- What others feel is about them
- What others think is about them
- What others do is about them
- Be compassionate and love them
Your loved ones’ reactions to what is happening are not about you: their reactions are theirs and are about them.
Practice witnessing the people in your life: what they are saying and doing is information about your loved ones.
Your reactions to what others are saying and doing are about you.
Keep swimming and toes up!
Love and blessings,Sherri
Sherri Williams has been a therapist and coach in private practice in Pittsburgh, PA for the last 14 years, helping hundreds of people make more loving choices for themselves. She has an MSEd in Marriage & Family Therapy, is a Board-Certified Counselor and Coach, and is a Licensed Professional Counselor in Pennsylvania. Prior to being a therapist, she worked as a CPA for Ernst & Young, taught at the University of Pittsburgh, and was an executive in nonprofit administration. She is the CEO of CompassionateTogether LLC, an organization dedicated to helping people be compassionate with themselves and one another by offering online groups, workshops, and certifications for coaches and businesses. Her book, Turtles & Bears: How Couples Can Be Compassionate Together is expected for publication in 2019. To receive monthly strategies for compassion, subscribe to her CompassionateTogether™ Letter. Here are the ways to connect and follow her on social media: Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter.
Sherri Williams MEd LPC BCC – CEO of CompassionateTogether LLC & Owner of TheLovingChoice.com
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