You know that feeling you get when nothing is going your way? Maybe your boss is on you about a deadline. You have a coworker who is just being loud and obnoxious Then, your spouse calls and tells you the in-laws are coming for a few days AND they’re staying with you
All the little stuff that normally wouldn’t bother you begins to pile up and grind your gears. Then, all of a sudden, one last thing drops in your lap and tips you over the edge, and all of a sudden, BAM!
You begin to panic and “freak out” because you don’t know how to handle everything all at once so you begin reacting from a mental state of scarcity and fear. You’re not alone!
This has happened to all of us at some point in time. It’s a part of life and it’s inevitable. However, that doesn’t mean it has to control you. Here are three simple tips to help you quickly move from panic and overwhelm to feeling back in control of your life.
1. Recognize what’s going on.
Understanding that you’re in or going into a panic mode is the first thing we need to be aware of. It will help us realize that we need to stop and take notice of everything that’s going on. Once we’re aware of what’s happening, we can collect our thoughts and stop reacting from a position of fear.
2. Take a step back.
Now, let’s take a look at things from a 40,000-foot view. Here, we can make a list of all that’s causing us to be overwhelmed. We can sort out the things that we can control and the things that we can’t.
The things we can control are usually already within our grasp and we most likely already know the solutions to these problems. What we can’t control, we have to let go. If it’s out of our control, then there’s nothing we can do it about it at the moment, and worrying about it is only going to make things worse for our mental state.
3. Don’t forget to breathe.
It’s important for us to breathe and center ourselves when we go into a panic mode from overwhelm. Just some simple breathing exercises can help us gather our bearings and bring us back to a state of being calm.
Take a big, deep breath while counting to four. Hold it for four seconds and then slowly exhale for a count of four. Repeat this at least two more times and on your final exhale, put some force behind it and let the panic and overwhelming thoughts go with it.
And always remember, what’s happening right now is just a moment in time. There will be more along the path of life and being able to keep that one thought in mind at all times will help us be able to recognize our panic and overwhelm patterns quicker.
When we follow these simple steps, overwhelm and panic will quickly become more manageable and allow us to take back more control of our lives.