Feeling Overwhelmed: 4 proven Tips to Cope
Amid all this COVID-19 chaos, golden passports drama and Varosia confusion, pair that with the already existing struggles of daily life ... it is only natural that you may be feeling overwhelmed. While adjusting to our sci-fi new reality of 2020, staying calm seems like an unbelievable and challenging task.
How can one centre and ground themselves amid this chaos?
Acknowledge the feeling
When I get clients who tell me they are panicking, I often say “thank you” for acknowledging that. The fact that you can name how you’re feeling is a powerful form of self-awareness and self-acceptance. It's important to know how an emotion feels in your body and how it makes you behave. Helpful or unhelpful, emotions always tell you something; think of them as messengers. From here, you need to be able to understand the panic, and then use strategies to manage it.
It's important to practice alternative thoughts and behaviours to the ones that are not helping lead you towards a meaningful path. This can mean being able to keep things in perspective and not keep catastrophising (when your mind automatically assumes that the worst possible outcome of a given situation is likely to happen).
This way of thinking, catastrophising, had led some people to pile all the toilet paper and canned food when the virus first hit. Instead of catastrophising, just like above, acknowledge the feeling of panic, but think about how you can manage it in a helpful way. Such as ...
Stop and breathe
One of the most powerful and impactful strategies is breathing techniques. People underestimate how powerful this simple act can be.
Panic causes breathlessness and an increased heart rate. Getting back control of your breathing can quickly help calm you. In a moment of overwhelm, take a moment to inhale for four seconds, hold, then exhale for four seconds. Repeat three times and notice the difference.
Use affirmations
Positive affirmations are so important.
One of the things COVID-19 has proven is how little control we have. If you keep repeating that to yourself, you'll only keep panicking. Instead, try repeating a more helpful phrase, such as “I am doing my best”, “I can handle this” and “I have the power to make me happy or unhappy” in the morning, before you start your day. See which of these, or comment your favourite affirmations below, work best to help ground and relax you.
Acknowledge what is in your control
To handle and minimise panic, it is crucial to know what you have control. How you respond to situations and what you do in a day is all within your control. Even if it doesn’t always seem that way. If listening to the news makes you feel overwhelmed, then only listen once a week. Or, order a newspaper subscription and read that, rather than watching the TV or scrolling news sites on your phone. Choose the conscious decision to make time for the things you know help you feel better. That might be exercising, meditating, journalling, taking a relaxing shower, eating healthy food, reading a nourishing book or spending time with a loved one.