Dealing With Seasons of Overwhelm

In This Episode

What does overwhelm mean?

Verb – to bury or drown beneath a huge mass; to defeat completely; to give too much of a thing to someone (inundate); to have a strong emotional effect; to be too strong for a person to deal with (overpower).

So many of us recognize these seasons of overwhelm. However, most of us living this homesteading lifestyle also strive to learn and do more (most often eliminating conveniences).

How to recognize overwhelm.

The hopeless feelings that come with overwhelm.

What do I do when I recognize these seasons?

Remember that this life is seasonal. Some seasons require much, and some seasons allow us to slow down.
Embrace the downtime because this will allow us to push through the busy times.
Push yourself further than you think you can, but don't go past your limits (but not at the risk of your health or relationships).
I remember my dear friend, Miss Anita, saying, “Sometimes you just gotta let the low-end drag.”
Assess your goals (I think of them like cards in my hand).
- One card is for my husband.
- One card for each of my children (and their individual needs).
- One card for my job/business.
- A card for my friends and the relationships I want to foster.
- One card for my spiritual life and emotional well-being.
If I'm feeling overwhelmed, I look at the cards in my hands to see if there's something I picked up that I can no longer hold.
Many of us drop the card of taking care of ourselves. We put off our spiritual and physical health. For me, this ended up backfiring in a huge way. Don't make the same mistake!
- Ask what is supporting your emotional and spiritual well-being.
Understand that chaos breeds chaos. If you don't recognize the season of overwhelm you're in, you'll continue to spin out. This is how overwhelm can lead to depression, relationship damage, etc.
Put into place conveniences or easy go-to's to buy yourself time (like my automatic bread machine!).
Remembering what is true! Get back to the baseline of what you believe. Celebrate the victories of where you are right now (it's probably pretty far from where you were years ago).
“The best that you can” is very good! Take a deep breath, take care of yourself, invest where it matters, and know that this too shall pass!
I am very proud of you! The best that you have IS ENOUGH!