I have found myself in a “state of overwhelm” throughout my journey of adulting, especially the past 2 years. Thinking about all the responsibilities or things I should be doing, daily, weekly, monthly. The paperwork I need to get done, doctor, diagnostic tests, and therapy appointments to prepare for and schedule. Then there’s the dishes to wash, rooms to vacuum, shopping to do, the news, social media and job sites to check. All that, plus figuring out how to navigate another new health challenge or symptom flare along with all the other diagnoses on my list.

I find myself feeling like the cartoon of the man boxed into a dark corner and all the paperwork on his desk caving in on him. 

So tired, yet so much to do and figure out. How and where do I start? How do I even approach this towering mound of things to sort through closing in on me?

I have learned to breathe. Just breathe, in and out, one, two, three... slow deep breaths. Notice the present moment, acknowledge that I feel overwhelmed. It’s not a sign of weakness, it’s part of being human. It’s ok to feel this way. 

Then I ask myself, “why do I feel overwhelmed, so boxed in?” Just admitting it to myself brings me out of that  dark corner. This question helps me recognize which things are the “cherry on top” tipping me to feel overwhelmed. 

Worrying that the new doctor is just going to order more tests and find nothing… 

Not knowing how to finish all the paperwork by the time it’s due... 

Not knowing if I’ll have the energy to go to the grocery store or see my friend… 

Not knowing whether I’ll find a job after months of searching...

 Finally, I find one small thing that I can do right then to help myself feel less overwhelmed. Make a list of 3 questions for the new doctor. Fill out one page of paperwork. Ask my husband to go to the store for me tomorrow. Reschedule seeing my friend until the weekend. Writing down 3 strengths I bring to the workplace. Or, just taking another few slow, long, deep breaths.

Just picking one small thing to do in that moment of overwhelm brings me out of the corner and into the light to see a glimmer of hope and remember, I am resilient.

How can you help yourself when in a “state of overwhelm''?