“You're playing and you think everything is going fine. Then
one thing goes wrong. And then another. And another. You try to fight back, but
the harder you fight, the deeper you sink. Until you can't move... you can't
breathe... because you're in over your head. Like quicksand.” This quote from the movie The Replacements
plays out in our own lives sometimes over and over. You move along doing your day to day things
until you get a flat tire. Okay,
breathe, get the tire fixed and move on.
Then you find out at work the next day your supervisor criticizes
everything you have done for the past month even after you asked for feedback
at the time. Finally, your toddler
spikes a fever and you need to stay home with them for the next two days and
try to get in for a pediatrician appointment.
Overwhelmed? I am and this isn’t
even my life!!
So what do you do while you are desperately clinging to the
end of your rope and trying to tie a knot in it so you can hang on? First, you need to bring your awareness to
your body. Is your heart beating
rapidly? Do your muscles feel
tense? Do you feel as if you are going
to cry? After assessing what your
systems reactions are to this over load you will be in a better position to
find remedies and coping mechanisms. Begin
by finding a place where you can take some time to bring yourself back to
balance. Sit comfortably and bring your
attention to your breathing. As you
begin to take slow, deep breaths, remember to allow your stomach to expand with
each inhale and relax with each exhale. In
your mind’s eye, picture a place that brings calm, a beach, a mountaintop, a
forest, or your favorite
vacation spot.
Hear the sound of the ocean, the cry of an eagle, the rustle of leaves,
or any sound that takes you to your favorite space. Smell the things that take you to your
favorite space as well. Allow your mind
to drift on the calmness of this space. Allow
yourself to release the stressors that have overwhelmed you in the past hours,
days, or weeks. Notice that your
heartbeat has slowed to a relaxed state, your muscles have released any tension
and are also relaxed, you feel balanced and refreshed. Know that you can return
to this space of relaxation whenever you need to do so.
So many of us make excuses that we have no time for
ourselves that we continue on the insane treadmill of life without thought as
to how to manage the stress and tension that overwhelm us. It is only when we come to a crashing halt
through an illness or accident that we could have avoided had we not been in
such a hurry that we are forced by the universe to take a break. Most times we are frustrated with this state
of inaction because we’re busy and need to get back to life. We neglect to take advantage of this valuable
time that has been given to us to examine ways in which to slow down; ways in
which we can create new habits and patterns in our lives for when reality is
again upon us and our schedules take over.
I would like to encourage you to seize this time to make those changes and
do some self exploration. Reconnect with
yourself. Rediscover your passions,
dreams and perhaps even some hobbies that you enjoy but don’t make time for
anymore. So perhaps when you come out of
this period of stasis, you will be better equipped to handle the overwhelming
times in your life and avoid the quicksand.
