I can relate to this topic as I’ve spent about 45 years feeling overwhelmed. Life is a struggle. Thankfully it’s temporary. There are ways we can handle stress, but as long as we’re in the flesh, we’re going to have our struggles.
Let’s now take a look at 5 Ways To Handle Being Overwhelmed:
1.) Sleep: Over the years I’ve come to realize the importance of a good night’s sleep. I am NOT a morning person, so when I have to wake up early, I make certain to go to bed early. I aim for about 8 hours of sleep a night. In my opinion, it’s the most important thing we do for our overall health. It sets the tone for work, relationships, and exercise.
2.) Nutrition: Besides sleeping, another thing I stress is good nutrition. Not perfect nutrition, but good nutrition. I used to weigh 275 pounds when I was unemployed and deeply depressed in my early thirties. I am now about 205 pounds. That’s a loss of 70 pounds. It can be done with discipline. This weight loss was mostly due to greatly reducing my soda intake and replacing it with water. Lots of water. Another important piece to my weight loss was eating vegetables. I recommend frozen vegetables and replacing Ranch dressing with hummus, for example. You are what you eat! Eat healthy (but still enjoy a cheat day from time to time!).
3.) Exercise: Another thing I took more seriously to lose weight at this time was walking a lot more and going to a spin class several days a week at a local athletic club. Find what you enjoy and stick with it. For me it’s walking (4-5 miles a day), the spin bike, and the rowing machine. I’ve also taken up daily stretching exercises. Pick 5-10 minutes a day and stretch away! Just walking is beneficial too.
4.) Church: For someone with severe anxiety, going anywhere with groups of people is a challenge. I wish I could stay on my couch and read and watch sports. However, that isn’t the reality. It’s vital to find a good local church. One that preaches biblical truth. I also encourage you to serve in some capacity in that church. I am on the security team at my church. We need to be around other believers, especially with how dark and unsafe this world is becoming.
5.) Limiting news and social media exposure: I used to read the local newspaper, the Wall Street Journal, and USA Today every day. It was overwhelming. I still check the news, but not nearly as much. I rarely go on social media. I find it to be a time waster. Get in the Word instead. The news and social media provide temporary comfort. The Word of God is eternal.
Paul
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