Life can be overwhelming at times leaving us feeling stressed, scattered, and out of control. Life finds a way of consistently throwing us more curveballs during challenging times, so it’s critical to learn the tools to help us gain composure and find our way home to our center.
5 Ingenious Ways to Find Your Center When Life Feels Overwhelming
#1. Breathe.
Steady your breath by inhaling while you slowly count to three, hold for three, then exhale for three. Repeat this process until you feel your heart rate slow, and feelings of stress and anxiety starting to melt away.
#2. Stop sign visualization.
When we feel overwhelmed, feelings of anxiety and stress can trigger negative, looping thought patterns that can make us feel like we are spiraling out of control. Every time your negative self-talk tries to whisper in your ear, visualize a red stop sign to force your brain to STOP!
#3. Repeat a positive affirmation out loud.
Repeat a positive affirmation that resonates with you out loud three times to help invoke positive thoughts.
#4. Make a plan.
Prioritize the most demanding tasks you need to get done today. As you tick urgent projects off one by one, you’ll feel more in control.
#5. Implement the 5-5-5- technique.
Identify five things you can see, five things you can feel, and five things you can hear. This exercise helps generate awareness of your senses so that you feel more grounded.