Is it just me? Or, does the world seem to be in tumult? As an HSP, you and I are the first to feel when chaos and mayhem abound. It’s a precursor to something I call over overload.
This state can be scary to the HSP. You experience overwhelm. Catapulting your emotions into overdrive. The crush of negative feelings surrounds you. If that is not scary enough, what follows is worse. Your empathy seems to go AWOL. Without empathy, we feel lost. Our perception no longer makes sense.
I recently went through a rough patch. It was unbearable. These were the three principles I relied upon to pull me out:
1. Mental (Emotional) Toughness.
It starts with your mindset. I knew I had to rely on myself. No one else was going to pull me out of the state I was in. I began by focusing on my self-care. That meant I needed to stop certain behaviors, including:
- Flooding my mind with destructive media attention,
- Ignoring my HSP-specific self-care routines,
- Dismissing my schedule and,
- Allowing my mind to run amok.
I gathered my resolve and determined to make changes. These included:
- Turning off needless and addicting media,
- Returning to my mind quieting practices,
- Restoring my daily routine and,
- Getting a grip on and changing my mindset.
2. Physical Safeguards.
After controlling my mindset, I turned my attention to my physical care. This included:
Making sure I got enough sleep. And putting exercise back into my life. Walking proved to be a great help. I live in a rural setting, so it was easy to “walk in nature.” A meditative walk in nature proved to be a great antidote.
Meditation and relaxation techniques work on both the mind and body. These were especially helpful in my return to balance.
3. Spiritual Backup.
Faith is a great stabilizer. Belief in a higher power is reassuring. If you are an atheist or agnostic, find your spiritual help in nature. In either case, build that belief in yourself. You have the power to overcome adversity.
In my book Over Overloaded, I discuss cognitive reframing. This is when you change the way you look at a situation. Doing so makes the situation look positive rather than negative. This practice helps improve your self-confidence.
It’s also a spiritual construct. One that says, “All things work toward the good of everyone involved.” A belief like this is empowering. It allows us to relax. Stop worrying. And focus on the present.
I hope these three steps will help you endure and overcome any hardship. You may find you need more specific advice. You can find more information in my book. I wish you well in the future as we face challenges together.
Copyright 2025, Monica Nelson
Over Overloaded is currently available in ebook form.
