When there are too many things going on it leaves me feeling overwhelmed. I find the current popular phrase ‘I don’t have the bandwidth to deal with that” a fitting description for those times.
During those times, the emotional and mental resources for coping are not at full strength. I can’t think straight and simultaneously, my emotions are pulling me in several directions at once. At those times, I feel overwhelmed and confused.
The good thing is that those episodes only happen occasionally. It’s also fortunate that they are of a limited duration.
Some of the times that I’ve faced those moments included a thwarted terrorist attack, Hurricane Rita evacuation, Hurricane Ike, driving through the ‘Blizzard of the Century’ and surviving three different 100-year floods in the Texas Hill Country flooding, and the liquid bomb threat. Each challenge had its own unique twists. As typical of crises, when each of these happened, there were other issues going on as well.
Natural disasters can be handled. It’s when they happen in conjunction with relationship, legal, financial, and other crises that the confusion and overwhelm hit.
So when overwhelm and confusion hit, my challenge is finding a way through them. The first thing I do is write down what I’m feeling and what challenge I’m facing.
As simple as it sounds, just writing those things down starts the change process. Although there are other steps, the first is writing things down.
Writing down traumatic events has proven therapeutic benefits. It provides an outlet for the pent-up emotions and feelings that are often associated with such experiences. This practice, known as expressive writing, allows for an organized exploration of thoughts and emotions, promoting mental clarity.
It can help you process what is happening to you, reducing stress, and ultimately leading to improved mental health. Furthermore, writing serves as a form of self-expression, providing the opportunity to gain control over the situation and potentially offering a new perspective. It aids in identifying patterns, triggers, and strategies for coping, thereby fostering resilience in the face of adversity.
One of the benefits in writing things down is validation. Having a name to put on the challenge and the emotions helps. It starts reducing the confusion about what I’m dealing with.
I go into the other steps you need to get out of the confusion in the video ‘Overcoming Affair Trauma‘. The video also explains the other healing benefits that come with writing.
You can know what the next step is and what needs to be done by watching the video. Start your healing and begin ending the confusion by ordering today.
Keeping It Real,
Jeff
