Overwhelmed

Just recently I was feeling very overwhelmed. If it wasn’t the clothes that needed washing, it was the dishes in the sink piling up. If it wasn’t the bathrooms needing to be cleaned, it was the stack of mail/bills I had yet to open and shred. And lastly for my married folks, if it wasn’t my daughter begging for my attention, it was my husband needing affection. I meannnnnn….I just could not get with the program, and it started to truly weigh on me. Me being overwhelmed presented itself as me being distant from my husband, being short tempered with my daughter, not being productive at work, and me being straight up exhausted daily (literally could not wait to get in the bed daily).

As I prayed this one particular day, I just cried and told God how tired I was and that my expression of being overwhelmed was turning me into someone I didn’t like.

“Nothing is new under the sun” is what my spirit echoed.

You see, this isn’t my first rodeo with being overwhelmed. I juggle a lot on a weekly basis, but what started to happen was that the things I use to do to maintain order and functionality in my life, I wasn’t doing anymore.

I began to ponder on what actually overwhelms me, and consistently in my life it’s these things:

·      Clutter (whether it’s dirty clothes piled in the bathroom, my purse being full of useless things, or my car having trash in it)

·      Not having a to-do list (It’s just something about getting that list out of my head and on a sheet of paper that sets me free)

·      Spending money excessively (BUDGET BUDGET BUDGET!!! My family can buy whatever we want as long as it is PLANNED! If not, that really bothers me, now.)

·      Not Having My Quiet Time (Listen, I need Jesus. And for some reason, I will go weeks without picking up my bible, and wonder why my life is falling apart. It’s so so simple. To function at my best, I need to be connected to the best, and that’s my Lord and Savior Jesus.)

·      Gossiping (…or randomly telling my business to a co-worker….I know then that something is off with me)

Nothing is new under the sun….

I had to get back to what works FOR ME.

            For clutter, I have specific days during the week that I clean certain things around the house to keep the house from getting dirty. Sticking to this list makes me feel accomplished and productive.

            As far as my to-do list, it’s important for me to write this list AFTER I pray, and BEFORE I go to bed at night. The most important things seem to get on the list, and a full day of productivity occurs when I do this daily.

            For my family, meeting twice a month (around paydays) is when we have the most productive talks about money and how our money should be budgeted that month. When we have these family meetings, excessive spending typically doesn’t occur that month.

            When I stick to a consistent plan to spend time with God daily, I truly have peace about life, and I’m often not overwhelmed. I could be in the middle of a “storm” but still feel God’s guidance and covering over me when I spend consistent time with him.

            Lastly, I journal to keep from gossiping and venting so much. If I’ve already written it down, there’s typically no reason to bring up whatever it is that was bothering me. Everywhere I go, I have a journal nearby (usually in my purse or school bag).

My list that makes me overwhelmed may not be your list, and my ways of maintaining my peace may not be your way of keeping peace in your life. My only prayer sis, is that you get back to that place of peace by consistently doing the very things that bring you peace.

Being overwhelmed isn’t “normal.” It’s an indication that something isn’t right within or around you. An indication that you need to take action (or a different action).

And remember sis, once you start doing the very things that bring you peace, and you find yourself still overwhelmed, reach out for help. You just may need to talk to a counselor, because what you may be identifying as “being overwhelmed” may be depression or anxiety.

(This is what came out of my purse this past week...smh! Do you know the frustration of finding a chapstick in this type of clutter in a purse?! smh) 

I’m rooting for you and we’re in this together! 

Love,

B