We are only given things we can handle. The lessons available to us are hidden within these things.
Read that again.
You may be completely new to the concept or just beginning to explore the deeper dimension of life beyond our physical human existence. Either way, overwhelm is a very real experience, and it often arises when we feel disconnected from our greater sense of being.
We lose our centre and get distracted or absorbed in ours or other people’s emotions and circumstances sometimes to the point of mental exhaustion. Recognising this disconnection and nurturing our whole self can provide grounding and perspective to help us navigate the challenges life throws our way.
We need to take a breath.
Taking a breath is a profound moment of stillness and presence, but what does that ’ look and feel like for you? These practical steps should help you to define and bank your version - so you can regain balance and calm anytime, anywhere.
Take A Physical Breath
If you find yourself spiralling, or you have hit a brick wall, you have run out of logical answers, and things feel like they are all falling apart, you are in overwhelm,
When you are overwhelmed, you feel like you’re carrying the weight of everything all at once. Thoughts are racing, your chest tightens, and your energy is drained. You sense that there is too much to do, to much to feel, and you have no idea where to start. It’s like trying to hold water in your hands, no matter how hard you try, it keeps slipping through your fingers. It’s exhausting, frustrating, and sometimes paralysing, leaving you unsure whether to fight, freeze, or flee.
Pause, step away from the ‘noise’, and find a quiet or comforting space only you can inhabit.
Close your eyes or gaze softly at something. Perhaps it is the sky, the horizon, a window, or something in the room you are in.
Start to breathe. Take a gentle inhale, then exhale and repeat this, deepening your breath as you go. It may help, at this stage, to do a body scan. Start with focusing on your feet. Feel yourself safely grounded to the floor and imagine a force that travels through the middle of your body and limbs, keeping you safe.
Taking a Mental Breath
This is just as important when finding calm. A considered, intentional shift from reacting to something, to reflecting upon something. The outcome is a game changer. Give yourself permission to let go of judgment, expectations, or overwhelming thoughts, even if just for a moment.
Take A Breath From Your Environment
Moving out of the area you are in when things get overwhelming is a game-changer. Whether you can immerse yourself in nature, get into water, or wrap up in a blanket, it will change the energy around you. Go for a walk around the block, get to your nearest park or beach or head to the gym, or a class to get into your body and leave the whirring mind behind. Always with the quiet reassurance that all things pass.
"Where focus goes, energy flows. Tony Robbins
Take An Energetic Breath
Our energy field must not be ignored when it comes to overwhelm. It plays a significant role in how we process and respond to life’s challenges. Like the physical body, your aura can accumulate blockages or stagnant energy from stress, negative emotions, or external influences. These blockages can amplify feelings of tension and leave you feeling drained.
Regularly “flushing” through practices like meditation, visualisation, breathwork, or energy cleansing techniques such as smudging or sound healing helps to clear this stagnation. By nurturing your energetic body, you create space for calmness, clarity, and a renewed sense of balance to flow freely.
With the body scan method, you can deepen your practice by connecting with the Earth below and the universe above. This connection forms a bridge between your physical and energetic self, creating a harmonious energy flow. It’s a powerful way to ground yourself while expanding your awareness. By anchoring into the Earth energy and embracing the limitless cosmos, you will release tension, clear blockages, and restore a sense of balance and inner peace.
Find Your Own Overwhelm Ritual
Using some or all of what is explained above, will help you to create your own ‘overwhelm ritual’ and the results are real.
You will feel the weight of emotions or the external chaos lightens, leaving space for clarity to emerge. With every exhale, your nervous system will soften, cortisol levels will start to balance and tension in your shoulders, jaw, or chest will release. You will feel grounded, aware of the simple sensations around you: the air on your skin, the rhythm of your breath, or the hum of life around you.
The Most Important Takeaway?
Taking a breath reminds you who you are and that you’re in control of how you process and respond to the world and circumstances around you. You don’t have to wait until you are overwhelmed to practice. Find your version and integrate it into your daily routine to prevent and handle any future meltdowns.
With consistent practice, you will learn what is your ‘stuff’ and what belongs to other people. You learn to stay in your own lane and offer much more help to others than before because you will be able to zip yourself up and deal with other issues separately.
So, what does your “take a breath” feel like?
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