Tips for Coping with Emotional Overload at Christmas 🎄
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Emotional Overload
Christmas is coming, and many people find they experience emotional overload and an increase in stress. It may be memories of Christmas past, the pressure of too much to do, or unrealistic expectations.
Emotions are funny things. Sometimes, seemingly out of nowhere, you can experience an emotion so strong you can't think or do anything until you regain control of yourself again.
Triggers can be so simple: a song that reminds you of a previous relationship that didn't end well at the time, a throw-away remark or a scent that takes you back to your grandmother's lap.
The problem with runaway emotions is they can toss you into emotional overload, especially if you're already frustrated or stressed about something else. These tangled emotions can feel impossible to unknot. Thankfully there are several ways you can get yourself back on track.
Focus on Breathing
The best solution to any kind of emotional overload is to stop...and become aware of precisely what emotion you're experiencing. Then step back and take several deep breaths, focusing on breathing out. This strategy works on everything from stress to fear to grief or any other emotion which feels overwhelming. Better yet, practise mindful breathing when that happens.
Here's a technique called 'Square Breathing':
Start by taking a deep breath in as you count to four - in 2, 3, 4.
Hold it for the count of four - hold 2, 3, 4.
Exhale again as you count to four - out 2, 3, 4.
Hold again for four beats - hold 2, 3, 4.
Repeat the square breathing cycle until you start feeling you're regaining control and your heightened emotions are quietening down.
Emotions generally come with an entire, often convoluted thought process. If you're slipping deeper into emotional quicksand because you're adding even more negative baggage that's pulling you down, you must find a way to interrupt the cycle.
Flip Your Thoughts
Look for positive thoughts you can use to replace the negative ones. This can even work with sad emotions. For example, instead of thinking, "I miss my father. I'll never speak to him again," you can try, "My father was so incredible. I have such great memories of him." Even this subtle shift can take you out of mind-numbing grief and into a bittersweet joy about the times you spent with the other person.
Get Active
There's nothing like physical activity to burn off the excess energy an emotional overload creates. Just think about the word. It is e-motion. So motion can stop it in its tracks or at least slow it down so you can begin to get yourself together again. Consider going for a walk, hitting the gym or whatever works for you. Movement really can help you feel better; you might not believe this, so why not experiment and see how you feel.
Dissect What's Going On
Use this tip with caution. Sometimes thinking deeply about your emotions can send you into a downward spiral. A better approach? Instead of focusing on the emotion you're experiencing, spend some time working through how you've come to feel this way. What triggered these feelings? What label are you attaching to the emotion? What happens if you give it a different name? How do you feel different now? What can you do or say to yourself to help minimise whatever created the problem? How can you change how you think about the problem, and how could you solve it?
Remember
Remember, emotional overload doesn't have to stop you in your tracks. As you discover you can step back and understand what's going on, you'll find it easier to reduce emotional overload. When you're mindful and stay intentional in what you do, you'll find you can minimise and even let go of the emotions that don't support you.
Now that you know how to minimise emotional overload you can have a wonderful Christmas.
🎅🏻 Merry Christmas 🎅🏻
