5 Things I Do to Reset When I'm Overwhelmed

Sometimes life is just hard for seemingly no reason. You put out one fire and three more spring up in its place. What do you do when that happens?

1. I take care of pressing physical needs first.
   • In other words, if I’m exhausted, I rearrange my schedule to get some sleep. If I’m starving, I drop whatever can wait and eat. If I’m sick, I force myself to rest.
   • It helps to be aware of your emotional triggers here. We all have trouble making good decisions when we’re stressed, but the specifics can differ. My husband struggles with his temper when he’s hungry, while I’m a mess when I’m sleep-deprived.
2. I find a few minutes to spend time alone with God.
   • This is helpful for two reasons. First, it gives me a chance to vent about what’s causing me stress. Second, it allows God to give me direction about what comes next.
   • When I think I don’t have time for God, those are the times when I most need to make time for Him. (Mary and Martha reference, Luke 10:38-42)
3. I vent to a friend or family member.
   • I’ve noticed that a lot of Christ followers do all their venting to either God or other people, but not both. God designed us to rely on both Him and other people; it’s not either/or, it’s both/and.
   • Make sure you’re venting to the right people, people who will feed your faith instead of your dysfunction.
4. I ask for help.
   • This might be the most difficult step to execute. Many of us either don’t have the support we need, or we don’t want to take advantage of the support we have.
   • If you don’t have a support system, you need to make building one a priority. Go to church, join clubs, etc.
   • If you do have support, humble yourself and ask for it. Don’t have a nervous breakdown because of pride.
5. I accept help when it’s offered.
   • Sometimes you need help, but you don’t know what to ask for. The best friends will just do without asking first. When that help comes, accept it without fighting.

Action Step: If you’re feeling overwhelmed right now, choose at least one of the suggestions from this episode and try it this week. If it helps, make it one of your go-to coping mechanisms from now on.