How To Stay Centered When Life Seems Overwhelming

Staying Centered When Life Seems Overwhelming

We’ve all been there. Just when you think you’re getting on top of all the crazy in your life, the Universe throws you for a loop. It may be anything from an unexpected home repair, an illness that gets you down for just long enough to fall behind on everything, or a friend that needs you to drop everything to attend to a desperate need. Or perhaps your life has been in chaos for some time, the time of life when you are raising children, struggling financially, or caring for aging friends and family and it all seems like too much. Whatever your situation, when you find yourself overwhelmed, here are four quick tips to help you find your way back to centre.

1. Just breathe.

Although it may sound trite, taking a minute to just breathe can be incredibly powerful. Check out just long enough to close your eyes, attempt to clear your mind and focus on the simple life-affirming act of breathing in and out. Count your breaths, eliminate the background noise and take an easy moment to collect yourself by focusing on this simple essence of life.

2. Develop a Personal Mantra.

Spend some time examining what it is that it as at the core of what is causing you to feel overwhelmed, preferably at a time when you are not in the midst of the craziness. Perhaps you will identify that it is a lack of balance, and your mantra could be “I can find balance.” Perhaps there is a quote or phrase that applies well to your situation or that brings you comfort that could become your mantra, such as “this too shall pass” or “all suffering is temporary.” Any word or phrase that has special meaning to you can be helpful to focus on and repeat to yourself when in a time of chaos. If you can find the time to quietly meditate or write on that word, subject or phrase during difficult times that may be useful in assisting you with getting back to your centre as well.

3. Practice Good Self Care.

The easiest thing to do when life seems overwhelming can be to tend to everyone else’s needs before your own. Don’t. You may not be able to spend a lot of time on yourself during a busy season of life but making sure that you take the time to eat nourishing foods, drink plenty of water and get quality sleep can work wonders in your life. Force your mind to listen to what your body is saying. If your body is tired, allow it to rest, even if just for a brief moment. Focusing on your most basic physical and emotional needs is a great way to stay centered and maintain your mind-body connection. Be kind to yourself.

4. Take a Break from Technology.

Technology can be a wonderful thing, it brings people with common interests and concerns together, it connects people across the miles, entertains us and keeps us up-to-date and informed. But, it can also distract and overwhelm us. If life already seems overwhelming, trying to keep up with social media posts and the latest news can add to it. Taking a temporary break from your phone or tablet can be a simple way to force you to focus more on yourself, your center, and the tasks at hand in your life. If you can’t completely break away, designate a particular part of your day to attend to your screen-based tasks and keep it only to what is absolutely necessary.