We all have times when our lives are extremely busy. We have too many things on our "to do" list. Whether it is work related, family related, or friend related. Some of us act like we are in the circus doing a juggling act. We are juggling a job, a side business, and a family just to name a few of the things that can control our lives. It can all become too much and we begin to feel overwhelmed.

Feeling overwhelmed affects us all in different ways. For me, I get a tightness in my neck and shoulders. My breathing gets quicker. I become impatient and I eat too much junk. My guilty pleasure is potato chips and Flaming Hots. I know. Don’t judge me.  My eye even twitches. It feels like things are just closing in around me.

After having this happen too many times, I knew that I needed to do something different. I needed to find ways to get through those times. I searched for ways to deal with stress and feeling overwhelmed and found lots of tips. I decided to try some of them. When I found a few that helped me feel less overwhelmed, they became a part of my routine. I wanted to share them with you. Hopefully they will give you some relief when you are dealing with feeling overwhelmed.  

1. Put yourself in time out – Take some time away from what is causing your stress. An hour or two if you can swing it. During that time don’t even think about the source of your stress.
2. Take a deep breath– One of my favorites. When I slowly inhale and exhale a few times, I begin to feel calm.
3. Prayer and meditation– Praying and meditating play a big part in my life but especially during times of overwhelm.
4. Clean up–Sometimes during my times of overwhelm it helps when I clean up. Often, I have allowed things to become cluttered and getting some order stops me from feeling that things are all out of control.
5. Journal – Writing is a release for me. Just taking the time to write down what I feel helps.
6. Listen to music – I have created a playlist that has soothing music when I need peace.
7. Spend time with friends– Sometimes we talk about my issues and sometimes we don’t. Just being in their presence works wonders.

So the next time you find yourself thinking that your life is spinning out of control, take a few minutes to try one or all of the tips above. I promise you will start to feel better!