Have you ever felt like you were being swallowed up by a gigantic wave crashing over you? Have ever dreamed you were falling and would never hit bottom? Have you ever been so overwhelmed that you could not seem to catch your breath?
Overwhelm = “feeling completely overcome in mind or emotion.”
Oftentimes, when we feel like we cannot handle the pressures of life, we fall into this state called “overwhelm.” We have all been there and have experienced it from time to time. It often manifests in a panic attack, worry, fear, anxiety and hopelessness. It can often render us paralyzed and unable to move forward productively at all.
Let me give you three simple ways to Overcome Overwhelm.
- Overturn Your Thoughts.
When we are hit with the wave called “overwhelm,” our thoughts instinctively become negative. We think, “I can’t do it all.” ‘I’ll never get it all done.” “I don’t have enough time.”
Overturn/Change your thoughts. Began to think thoughts that give hope and give a different perspective. Think, I can… I will… Think, “I may need to approach this differently to get it all done.” Think, “I may need some help to get this all done.” All of these thoughts turn the negative thought process into a positive thought process.
- Overturn Your Words.
It is so easy to speak what we feel and to speak what we think. But remember what Proverbs 18:21 (GNT) “What you say can preserve life or destroy it; so, you must accept the consequences of your words.”
Your words have the power to predict the trajectory of your life. Don’t allow your feelings to dictate your words. Don’t allow your feelings to determine your direction in life. Use your faith and your hope to craft your speech. Because your words give direction to your life.
- Overturn Your Actions.
If you are feeling overwhelmed, you must be willing to admit that whatever you are doing or not doing, must not be working. So, change your actions. Stop, take a deep breath. Back away from the problem. Ask someone for a different perspective. Start making a list of what needs to be done. Prioritize your list by what must be done, what should be done and what could be done. Then start one task at a time. Ask for help to accomplish the list.
Martin Luther said, “I have so much to do that I shall spend the first three hours in prayer.”
I know you may feel like you don’t have the time to stop and prioritize, but you must. You will find new and creative ways to get the job done.
Watch your thoughts, they become words; watch your words, they become actions; watch your actions, they become habits; watch your habits, they become character; watch your character, for it becomes your destiny.
The word of the day is Overcome Overwhelm.