Having one of “those days” now and then is usually a normal part of life. With jobs, kids, a mortgage and other bills to pay, not to mention walking the dog, looking in on elderly parents and making time for friends and family, its small wonder a day can feel overwhelming now and then.
Psychcentral.com offers the following tips to try and get through an overwhelming day:
Change your posture. When we are feeling tense or negative, our bodies become small and compressed. We slouch, hunch our shoulders, gaze at the ground when we walk, sit with our arms crossed or tuck our legs tightly to our bodies. This affects our breathing and intensifies anxiety.
Try straightening your back like you’re held by a thread from the top of your head. Stand or sit tall. Push your shoulders back into a pose of openness. When standing, keep both feet firmly on the ground, look up into the world, maintain a level gaze and turn any quick, shallow breaths into slow, deep ones.
Focus your thoughts on what you can do. When we face problems, our focus falls on the grave consequences that await us. Rather than let fear grip you, actively seek out what you can do. Direct your thoughts to how you can improve the situation. Ask yourself questions such as “Is my understanding of the situation accurate?”, “Is there another perspective?,” “What can I do to improve things?,” “Who do I need to talk to?,” “Are there new skills I can develop to cope better?”
Turn on the music, sing and dance. There’s nothing like letting music heal the soul. Do you need to cry, shout, sing or dance it out? Blast songs that allow you to release pent-up emotions. Create your personal playlist of songs you can speed-play for every state of mind. While you certainly can’t dance your troubles away, the exercise alone may help clear your head and focus on the tasks at hand.
Recall how you overcame a similar instance in the past. When things go wrong, we sometimes obsess over how terrible or hopeless the situation is. We forget past incidents where it also felt impossible until it was done. On your smartphone, write a list of all the proud moments when you doubted your ability and succeeded through sheer hard work, strategic thinking, and persistence. Whenever you face a crisis of confidence, refer to this list and remember that yes, you can get the job done.
The idea is to try ways to help yourself over the bump in the road that is causing you stress. However, if you continually feel panicked or out of control or have feelings of depression for extended periods of time, talk to a trusted friend or your doctor.
