The sun is shining, it’s a beautiful new day full of promise! Yet instead of feeling enthusiastic and excited about life and the opportunities that the day will bring, many feel careworn, anxious, mentally on edge and exhausted. They don’t have room for one more thing on their overcrowded plates. Life holds little joy, and on those occasions when fun does make it in, it’s accompanied by a sense of dread because of fear that it won’t last. Sound familiar? I hope not! But if this is part of your experience then please know you aren’t alone and life can be deeply peaceful and full of joy. You aren’t broken. You are precious!

The stress of overwhelm can be familiar to the point that it feels normal. Here are some key ways to identify imbalance:

• Inefficient or overactive Flight/Fight/Freeze Response

• Anxiety

• Emotional Roller Coaster

• Overthinking

• Chronic fatigue

• Weakened Immune System

I know what it’s like to exist in a chronically imbalanced state. It started in childhood as a highly sensitive child with dysfunctional energetic boundaries. I had decided at a young age that I would only allow myself to feel “appropriate emotions.” It wasn’t a conscious decision but my subconscious ran with it.

When a naughty emotion like anger would come up, I’d squish it down and remind myself of how good my life was and how evil I was to feel angry. I didn’t give myself permission to feel. If I was sad, I would remind myself how so many people actually had good reasons to be sad. I didn’t. I had a family who loved me and my needs were met. So many people had it worse than I did. I was bad for feeling sad. I was ungrateful. I needed to work harder to be a better person.

Poor emotional awareness and acceptance of myself escalated with the pressures of adulthood and mothering.  And don’t get me wrong, I love my six children! They are a huge part of my life purpose, but it was hard for me to manage my sensitivities and a large household of young children because I had subconscious habits that broke down my defenses and sucked my energy reserves dry.  “Me-time” was nearly non-existent; and when I did indulge, I stacked up guilt on myself in suffocating layers. My perfectionistic tendencies took me out at every turn. My mind was out of control and seemed to love it because it felt like it was always thinking up new ways for me to suffer and feel disappointed in myself.

Where does Letting Go of “Nasty Habits” Come in?

You may see “bad habits” and wonder what I’m about to disclose, but I’m speaking mainly of subconscious habits and patterns that lie below the surface and dictate so much of what we think and feel and how we react or respond to situations.

The subconscious is the lens through which you perceive the world.

And…it can be a filthy lens. Not because you aren’t willing to clean it–sometimes you don’t even know it’s dirty! The primary lens that I viewed life through was one of deep unworthiness and feeling unloved, but I didn’t know that. I didn’t know that I was being driven to please others because I was afraid of being rejected. I didn’t know that I stressed about school (from kindergarten to college) because I felt that I had to be perfect to succeed and receive the recognition I craved. Recognition equaled worthiness; and since I didn’t have any of my own, I always looked outside of myself.

I masked all of this, of course. I was composed and outwardly peaceful, while I inwardly railed at anyone who told me how sweet and quiet and perfect I was. Then I’d shame myself later for thinking and feeling so harshly toward another person. Those who complimented me didn’t understand. No one really understood. They didn’t see what I would go through to appear placid.

No one could see the storm inside, but that storm was tearing my insides up and more than just my emotions. My body was suffering silently but not for long. The body will have its say–it’s a wonderful messenger that way.

My body broke down, and I had to rest because I didn’t have an option anymore, and very quickly my perception of how my life was supposed to be and what it was supposed to look like crumbled. I was left with a mess, and it’s the best thing that ever happened to me. The old had to crumble away to make room for the new. The old subconscious habits had to dismantle, so a strong foundation that could sustain an abundant life could be built.

Rising from the Ashes

My breakdown led to my Awakening–not only to my need for self-care but also my desire to deeply heal my emotional wounds. It’s not for the faint of heart, but it’s the most rewarding journey that you can possibly take yourself on.

I’ve been sharing about me from the desire that some part of my story will touch your heart and give you hope. We aren’t alone in our human experiences. There are similarities at every turn because we are all deeply connected. We are designed to operate in Joy. We have a choice and we can notice what isn’t working in our lives and make conscious changes. We have to start somewhere! Here’s some of what helped me, and people I’ve worked with, strengthen energetic boundaries and gain clarity and inner peace.

Tips for Overcoming Overwhelm

Take Baby Steps! Not everything about your life needs to change right now for you to find more ease. If you are extremely overwhelmed, even the idea of changing anything may feel daunting, but you can do it! This isn’t about judging yourself and making yourself wrong for areas that need strengthening. Just pick a couple of these to start implementing, see how you feel, and then pick a few more. Nourish Your Body. It’s your vehicle for life!

• Stay hydrated – Even mild dehydration (especially in women) can negatively impact the nervous system and your ability to manage stress. The classic recommendation for water intake is to drink half your bodyweight in ounces, so if you weigh 150 pounds, you would drink 75 ounces of water daily. Tune into your knowing and consult a healthcare professional if you have questions about foods and water intake.

• Be conscious of what you put into your body – Is it healthy and supportive or undermining your desire to get back on top and experience life to the fullest? What changes can you make? One of the best things you can do is cut back on refined sugar. When I did this years ago, I was amazed at how my mood changed and how much easier it was to deal with stress.

• Rest – Rest and rejuvenation isn’t a luxury, it’s a requirement if you want to be healthy, think clearly, and be productive. Help your body adjust to an earlier bedtime by moving it back 30 minutes at a time until you reach the hours you need each night to function optimally. Try a relaxing bath or some calming herbal tea to help you wind down and turn off your screens for 1 hour before you plan to go to bed. Naps are for grown-ups, too!

• Movement is your friend – I’m not talking about an intense workout or exercise regimen that makes you want to hide your head and watch Netflix all day. Maybe it’s a walk to your mailbox that gradually increases to around your block. Maybe it’s putting on some music and just moving your body.

  I have a small rebounder (trampoline) that I use to get the blood flowing and lymphatics moving. Even 5 minutes of gentle movement helps. We need our lymph to pump and eliminate toxins from our bodies, so we feel more vital.  Walking and rebounding is perfect for that and doesn’t have to take up your whole day. Whatever you choose, start with something simple and work up.

Nourish Your Mind and Emotions

Both are magnificent tools for processing and interfacing with our reality. The mind is pliable and emotions aren’t fixed either. What you put in, you get out. Our emotions are the seasonings of life, and life would be boring without them. Like everything, they need awareness and appropriate maintenance.

• Be mindful of what you open your mind to – Does what you watch or listen to bring your energy down and create additional tension? Does it keep you preoccupied from taking action that would reduce your overwhelm? What conscious changes can you make? Is there music that inspires and uplifts you? Choose that!

• Meditation – Even 20 minutes a day is better than nothing. You don’t have to be a meditation pro to begin and receive benefit. MAX Meditation ™, especially, is a great way to nourish your mind and emotions and reprogram them for positivity at the same time. You may enjoy the structure of being led through meditation with a like-minded group. Find a practitioner near you here.

• Your emotions are messengers – Learn to listen to your emotions. The tendency may be to push aside the emotions or judge yourself for them or to obsess about them instead of allowing them to bring awareness so that you can come into balance with more clarity and self-love. When you are triggered by an emotion, ask yourself “What do I believe to be true that caused me to react with _______ ? (emotion ex: frustration) “Where do I hold that emotion in my body?” and then just breathe and release from your body. Allow love to fill in all the spaces that released the lower vibrational density and open to Joy.

Nourish the Multidimensional You

You are more than a body, brain, and ball of emotions. You are infinitely more. You’ve got magnificent layers and aspects far beyond what eyes can see and every aspect influences and interconnects with all the others.

• Connect with Source – Prayer is a wonderful way to nourish your relationship. An attitude of gratitude really is “a thing” and will help you feel more supported by the Divine and will also open the doors for more to be grateful for. Find your unique way of connecting.

• Ask for help – You have untapped resources available to you in higher realms. Fill your heart with love and imagine being filled up with Light and remember to ask for Beings of Light to assist you.

The Modern Mystery School offers lineage initiation and healings for accelerated growth and rapid de-stressing.

Lineage healing is as simple as making the choice and taking action. When you do that you are supported every step of the way by a skilled practitioner. You open up and allow the Light to transform. Initiation begins with the  Empower Thyself class. It provides you with education to know yourself, and skills and processes to protect your energy and step into your true power.

There are many more healings than I’ve listed, but I’ve had personal experience with these. They have greatly contributed to my ability to bounce back from daily stresses and overcome overwhelm.

• Get clear with a Life Activation! – If you feel like you’ve been walking around in the dark hoping to somehow find your way through the maze and mess, you need the lights to be turned on. That’s what Life Activation does! It helps to bring clarity to your life purpose and helps show you what’s getting in the way and brings in energy to help you make changes.

• Cut negative cords – You can become weighed down and heavy with etheric cords and connections with other people in your life. Cord Cutting is an effective way to immediately get more breathing room and live life with less energetic clutter. Do you ever feel like you are being pulled in different directions? Negative Cords could be contributing!

• Aura healing – Aura Healing is another brilliant way to strengthen your positive energy. The aura can become overwhelmed, too! When it’s overwhelmed, tears and holes form that break down the integrity of the aura. This results in lack of energy, increased susceptibility to negativity and physical breakdown.

Overwhelm and deeply ingrained patterns that stifle your full potential don’t have to stop you! You can move through them. You aren’t alone. I encourage you to find a support group in your area that will assist you in moving forward. The Modern Mystery School is such a group. It’s mission is to empower others to reach their potential.

Regardless of where you go for support or who you connect with, know that you are loved, you matter and your life makes a difference. I’ve been overwhelmed and miserable and have felt like there was no way out. My heart knew differently, though, and I was propelled forward by that knowing. I’ve made and keep making choices that move me forward and encourage you to do the same.

 It starts with one step. Please take the suggestions that resonate with you. Hold them softly to your heart and then break free into your new day. You’ll never be the same.