To you who is feeling overwhelmed right now:
Dear friend,
I know you feel like lately the demands of life are stretching you to your limits.
You’ve been feeling like you’re in the middle of the ocean and you’re struggling to keep your head above the water. Some days you force yourself to smile, when all you want to do is cry. You feel constantly overwhelmed that you’ve started to believe this is now your normal state of being.
I know how it feels, because I’ve been there too.
I want you to know that you are not wrong, or weak, for feeling this way - and you are definitely not alone. We all struggle, especially with the current state of the world.
Please practice kindness and compassion towards yourself. Give yourself a moment to pause – even it’s only for a few minutes.
Tune into your body, close your eyes and notice that feeling of stress, of anxiousness, and overwhelm. Mindfully acknowledge how you feel, without any judgement. Remember, it’s completely okay to feel this way.
We often make the situation worse by judging and blaming ourselves when patience and grace is really what we need.
Take a full, deep breath: a big inhale through your nose and a long exhale through your mouth. Let your torso fully expand with each inhale and imagine squeezing every last bit of that breath as you exhale.
Repeat this slow breathing a few times.
By focusing our attention on our breath and our body, we are offering our minds a chance to slow down and gain perspective.
Now if you can, try to think of one thing – just one thing – which you could be grateful for at this very moment. It might not seem like much, but I promise this simple exercise will make a difference. A start in the right direction, at least.
And lastly, please remember to reach out for help. There is absolutely nothing wrong with asking for support; all of us need a hand from time to time. In fact, it takes great courage to admit that you need help.
I know it seems impossible right now, but please believe that everything will be okay. You have survived everything else life has thrown at you and I know you will make it through this time as well. You are so much stronger than you realise.
Don’t give up, my friend. I have faith in you.
Sending you hope and strength,
xx