Overwhelm

How do you deal with overwhelm?  

As a mom, I find I get hit with overwhelm pretty much everyday, multiple times a days.  Overwhelmed with decisions, overwhelmed by joy, overwhelmed by questions, overwhelmed by love, overwhelmed with papers, overwhelmed with bedtime routines, overwhelmed by noise, overwhelmed by schedules, overwhelmed by fill in the blank ________.  Not all overwhelmed feelings are bad yet most of the time it makes you feel like your drowning.

Few weeks ago we celebrated my parents 50th Wedding Anniversary with family and friends.  This was a such a beautiful overwhelm!  

It has been quite some time since we had EVERYONE in our immediate family together!  And look at all those healthy, happy smiles!!!  What a blessing.

With four kids, working from home, I've had to come up with a few steps on how I deal with my overwhelmed feelings.  My five steps when I'm feeling overwhelmed: 

1) Stopping for a few seconds and replace it with one thing I'm thankful for.  

     * Putting your feelings into perspective.  

     * Will what I'm feeling overwhelmed with this second still matter in 5 years?       * Assess how much time and energy I need to use right now. 

2) Reassess my reaction.  Take a few minutes after being thankful:

     * What is best way to address this.  

     * Take time to give it to the Lord right then and there.  

     * Embrace the person with a big hug.  

     * Give a word of encouragement.  

3) Having people to use as a sounding board.  I know not everyone is like me, sometimes I just need a sounding board to work it out in my head!  

4) Journalling, this right here is not always my first thing I do but the most releasing for me.  Writing it down on actual paper. 

5) Most important! GOD