I was going to email my response to this question, but decided to write it out here, especially as it’s so completely applicable at the moment. What tools or activities help you when you’re stressed? At the moment I’m overwhelmed and on the verge of freaking out. Today I woke up with a splitting headache that hasn’t eased up through the day. I know it’s everything building up in my head. So what helps?
There are a number of things that help me when I’m freaking out (and which I’ve been doing a lot of these days).
Journaling (in any form) helps me put things in order in my head.
Writing to myself often tells me what I need to hear – helps me to give myself the words I need to hear.
Colouring, puzzles, or anything that requires a bit of focus but not too much helps since it helps me focus and be present.
I often use grounding techniques. The ones I use most are focusing on my breath, feeling it in my body, and the 5,4,3,2,1 – Naming 5 things I can see, hear, and feel. 4 things I can see, hear and feel. 3 things… 2 and 1. I like to end off with – I can see myself, I can feel my body/breath, I can hear myself breathing/my heartbeat. (I try to do both these at least once a day regardless of whether I do or don’t think I need to).
Something that I’ve been using a lot the last couple of weeks is doodling and tapping on it. That means scribbling whatever I want with whatever colours I want on a blank page – sometimes it has meaning, sometimes I can’t see any meaning in it at all – and then tapping on the EFT pressure points for a couple of rounds or until I feel like I’m done. On a new page scribbling/doodling, then tapping on it again. etc… until I’m somewhat calmer.
None of this deals with the overwhelm, but it does help me from completely spiralling.
I’d love to hear from you, what are some tools or activities that help you when you’re overwhelmed or freaking out?
Love, light and glitter
Journey to life 
I use an app called Happy Color, it’s a colour by numbers app so no frustration of going over lines or anything. I also play on QuizUp, Pokémon Go and Harry Potter: Wizards Unite. Other techniques are grounding, counting things I am happy or thankful for and doing small easy tasks as seeing them completed is helpful.
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So you get your rooms tidy? I like the counting things you’re happy for. I should add that for myself.
Love, light and glitter
Happy Tuesday!
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Yeah, give it a try, it does help. Even small things like organising my socks and boxers drawer helps.
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I clean, exercise or plan out something step by step.
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Thanks for passing by cupcake
I love the cleaning choice, for then your house will be clean! Actually, folding washing helps me too.
Happy Tuesday!
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Thanks! Routine helps.
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Despite my initial horror, I find that pimple popping videos relax me – WTH? Some clever student needs to write a thesis on why so many people find them soothing.
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Okay, now I’m laughing. Thanks!!!! Maybe the consistency/predictability of it?
Happy Tuesday!
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When I’m freaking out, I would say I like going for a walk down my local reservoir and just appreciate the little things, like nature, a mom with her child and that seems to calm me down
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Go for a bike ride
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I love this one. I definitely want to go bike riding!
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Nothing better for solving problems and sorting your head out. I think it’s the sense of freedom you get from propelling yourself on two wheels. Plus, it’s healthy.
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I hope you headache is better now, I don’t get headaches so I can only imagine how bad it must be. I go for a run if I feel stressed and I also pray that the Lord will help me.
Take care.
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It is. Today’s a new day 😉
Thank you for taking the time to read and comment…
Love, light and glitter
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I too, color and do puzzles 🧩 I also like to clean mindfully with music 🎶
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Thanks for passing by Jeanna. It’s so cool how many people clean to calm down…
Love, light and glitter
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Hello, Eliza…
I used to love coloring and listening to music. Now, The only things that generally keep me calm I guess are: Listening to very soothing music or nature sounds of birds. I enjoy listening to that while I read and write.
It’s funny too, I have over 30+ coloring books in my closet that I haven’t picked up in close to two years. I don’t know why I stopped. It just happened. I may have to reconsider and take them out again.
I do hope you feel better soon.
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Thanks for sharing Beckie
I’ve gotta use all my colouring books too (though I’ve only like, 10 or so)
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Whatever it is that keeps you calm and at peace, is what’s important.
Take good careof yourself, Dear. 💚
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The coloring books are a very good idea (doodling or scribbling too like you have been doing) … the escape is a good thing. We probably enjoy it more now than we did as kids when we had to strive for perfection! I wish I had been the person who invented the idea of coloring for adults – I’d be a rich woman!
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🙂 You definitely would. Or you can create one of the hundred million colouring books.
The first time I bought one it was long before it was a ‘thing’. It was at least 8 years ago. People thought I was a bit weird.
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You should have started the trend then. There is a lot of things to stress over in the world today – whatever works to make it better, go for it. Crayoning is relaxing. My neighbor’s sister friended me on Facebook and she did color pictures on her phone all the time – it was called “Recolor”. https://www.justcolor.net/recolor-coloring-book-app-for-adults/
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All written here are great ideas. I have found for me when I am stressed, anxious, feeling overwhelmed or as you said freaking out I try to stop and think. Ponder over what has me in the state I am. Depending on the cause I will respond differently. I like many others find exercise in it multitude of forms had tremendous benefits. Yet, other times writing helps me to get my thoughts out into the world for me to go over. Other times simply breathing deeply and slowly or yoga help. One other I work on is reminding myself that at times the feelings I am having are not my own. In those times I stop breathe deeply and tell myself that these feelings are not from within but without and I push them back into the world. It helps to have contact with something the wall or ground. And lastly for now is Nature. Being out in nature revitalizes me like no other source. I am able to release all I hold on and take in all that nature provides.
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Thank you for sharing.
I love how you realise the feelings aren’t yours. That’s something I need to work on a lot – emotional boundaries.
Nature is awesome!!!!!!!
Love, light and glitter
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It was something I was taught. Are you able to feel negativity when you walk into a room? Do you find it draining? That is the easiest way for me to explain initially that you could be taking in others emotions too. I had always gotten overwhelmed or anxious like feelings when around people. I was told when I was younger that it was anxiety. However, with me I was not worried as is common with anxiety. Mine seemed to come with proximity to others and would lessen when I was able to put distance between me and them. Some called it social anxiety but after meeting someone who explained empaths to me and doing research I learned that this has been the reason I feel much of what I do. It is worth looking into. It sounds unusual but we all are so much more than we realize or are open to.
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It’s not anxiety. I can live with both.
My friends think I know all the time what they’re feeling (I don’t, depends if I’m open to it, and if I tune into it). There are plenty of people, you included, who live with it a lot more than I do.
I can get overwhelmed around others, actually I never put it together, but a lot probably is because of their energy, for when those people are in good places I don’t get as drained as quickly. Hmm.
I don’t think I’m an empath, for I don’t pick it up all the time from everyone, I don’t know if I even do either way or if I sometimes just think I do or if others think I do way more than I actually do.
Love, light and glitter.
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I like that you mentioned their energy. We all give off more energy than we realize. You may be more than you think. I have observed people and not everyone is this way. But a lot of people are. It can be learned but I bet it is innate for you to pick up on these things. It always has been for me. And you may not sense things all the time. I don’t. Especially if I am focusing on blocking it out. Sometimes I have to because it can become overwhelming. It’s also good you are aware it’s not anxiety.
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I’ve taught myself not to tune in, some things I pick up on, I usually sense how someone is doing (whether they’re okay or not) and sometimes I know that someone isn’t okay or something because of how drained/triggered I am afterwards.
I’ve definitely social anxiety too, but I liked your comment, it made me think, and realise that some of the overwhelm isn’t actually anxiety or stimulation but the energy
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You may be more of an empath that you think my dear
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