End of Summer Anxiety? Go From Overwhelm to Action With These 3 Steps
August has a tendency to bring a wave of panic.
Whether you are fresh back from vacation, prepping for the upcoming school year, navigating the last of summer events or merely attempting to digest the daily news, the sensation of overwhelm is real - and can be paralyzing.
Summer is the season for vacation, a gift that we look forward to all year, which can make the transition back to daily life stressful (to say the least).
When I came home from our summer travels a few weeks ago I felt refreshed and nourished… until I got off the plane and felt my internal pressure rise. Not only was there so much work to accomplish, but there was the compounded feeling of needing to “catch up” from doing nothing for weeks.
The results were pretty obvious:
Stress
Overwhelm
Trouble Sleeping
Irritability
And an Inability to Successfully or Easily Accomplish Anything!
I was thankfully able to return to flow with some extra support (which I share below) but I also want to mention the news as a recurring creator of pressure.
The constant bombardment of awful and traumatic news updates can also lead to paralysis and overwhelm.
When our nervous systems are hit with big feelings, most especially if the news updates trigger our own personal traumas, we tend to dissociate - disconnect from our bodies and become numb as a means of self-protection. (If this is happening to you, use the tools below, but also reach out for more support as this can be a sign that deeper healing is needed.)
But whatever we’re facing, we need to keep taking action, right?
We need to accomplish the things, share the love, stand up for the people and things we care about, pay the bills, and feel like we’re moving towards our goals at the end of each day.
So below is some love to help.
#1: REMEMBER THAT YOU ARE ALLOWED TO REST.
When we are hit with so much to do and overwhelming pressure, there is, as I mentioned above, a tendency to numb-out. This can be by literally checking out: Sitting in front of the TV, turning to food for comfort, scrolling through social media or turning to alcohol or other activities to drown out the noise. These activities, when being used to numb (rather than for authentic enjoyment in moderation), are not actually allowing us to rest easy. Rather, we are put into a hamster wheel of numbing activities, stuck between facing our overwhelm and actually letting ourselves off the hook.
If you find yourself here, then take a deep breath. Put your hands on your body and affirm:
I am allowed to rest.
I am allowed to stop, pause and reset.
I am allowed to put everything else down and rejuvenate myself.
I am allowed to nourish myself before doing all the things.
I am allowed to feel supported.
By allowing myself to rest, I am able to accomplish tasks and face my life with ease and joy.
Additional tips for rest:
Make sleep a priority.
Drink plenty of water throughout the day.
Disconnect from your screens.
Spend time in nature.
Put your devices on airplane mode near bedtime.
Give yourself a foot massage.
Take a hot bath.
Get a massage.
Do yoga.
We have to stop, pause, and refill. This may involve needing additional support to come back to your body, face your feels and move forward, which is where the next two steps come in.
#2: UTILIZE HEALING TOOLS THAT SUPPORT YOUR ABILITY TO RETURN TO ACTION
This month on Instagram I have been sharing tools to help you go from Fear, Overwhelm or Paralysis to Action. These tools, in essence, help you:
Get back in your body.
Move through your feels.
And stay in the present moment.
Click through below to watch these quick how-to videos or choose any activities that help you do any of these three things.
Follow me on Instagram for more tools coming out on the next two Mondays in August and see the next step to go even deeper.
#3: REACH OUT TO YOUR COMMUNITY FOR MORE LOVE.
When I came back from my vacation I needed outside support to help me come back to my body. I attended a Brain Gym course (one that I had taken 8 years prior and wanted to re-take to brush up on my skills) and the combination of beautiful humans and receiving the love that I typically give to others, finally allowed me to rest - so much so that I missed the last two days of the course! It was exactly what I needed to reset and return to action a few days later with incredible grace.
If you need more support, please:
Reach out for help.
Connect with your community.
Talk to people who love and support you.
Go to a healing workshop.
Take a class in something that makes you feel good.
Reach out to a coach, therapist, or healer. (Yes, like me, or anyone else you know that offers love!)
Being among loving people and supportive energy is healing in and of itself. Seek it out and ask for it.
You are worthy of support and life is infinitely sweeter when you receive it.
XO
Kelsey
PS. Interested in working with me? View my long distance coaching services here and sign up here to receive personalized love via my e-newsletter.