Today has been a feeling overwhelmed day--just focusing on my 3 things I decided were a priority. 1 down 2 to go.
This was my status from Facebook in 2009.
Some things really never change I suppose.
All of this past week I have been battling the feeling that I just can't keep up. Plus I feel like I am running in circles and accomplishing nothing.
It is hard to live like this for days. . .
or weeks.
After looking back at my journal for the last couple of years, I noticed that this seems to be my September "theme."
I have a theory about why this overwhelmed feeling hits me in September. I call it "autumn anxiety." I find this time of year difficult. The dead of winter is VERY hard as well.
How do you battle these times of feeling overwhelmed? Here's what often happens to me
- I loose it. At least once. I'm not a person who yells, cries or generally goes on a rant. But when I do, it is my clue to step back & take a deep breath(and maybe a nap). I also think I am very weird because I know that if I can have a cry I will often feel better--it lets off steam I guess.
Acknowledge the feelings. Realize that I have feelings that are not necessarily the truth. I can feel like a failure but also know that I am NOT a failure. It is a hard balance to achieve.
- List of priorities. Many times I'm overwhelmed because I don't think. I just dash from one urgent thing to another. It makes the anxiety level rise. If I have a list then it helps me to know what is most important also I LOVE to cross things off this list which is super motivating.
- Ask friends to pray. I have learned that if I keep how I am feeling to myself then it can go from bad to worse. Sure I am praying as I work my list & try to overcome my feelings. Prayers like this "GOD please keep my from going crazy today" is a pretty standard. So I text my husband or a friend or my older children.
- Just do the next thing. Knowing others are praying for me is just a soothing blanket of calm that helps me to not focus on my feelings and DO something. If I can get pointed in a direction of purpose even if it is a small task like laying out meat for supper or grading papers then I feel like I can handle doing the NEXT thing on my list.
- Seek peace and pursue it. Peace is one of my goals every single day. It is the opposite of anxiety. I find peace with the above list. (Most of the time) Some days I fail but I keep seeking it.
Only when I give up do I fail.
How do you battle your feelings? What gets you out of a funk?
Please share in the comments or over on the Day to Day Facebook page!
Linking up at Fellowship Friday, Finding Joy in Everyday
