Wonder Versus Overwhelm: The Pale Blue Dot
With A Fun Exercise to Get Perspective When Losing Your Sh*t
Overwhelm or Wonder?
Hi friend!
Excitement swirls around my heart as I start this new year, with all the possibilities that lie ahead. I have wonderful plans, like writing here weekly, though real life demands so much of me. My joy is eclipsed by the weight of everything I must do, every day. Conflicting thoughts fight in my brain, jostling for attention and action. My chest tightens, my breath quickens, leading to complete overwhelm - only if I let it.
For some, overwhelm is unbearably intense, causing dis-regulation of their nervous system, anxiety, and a total, highly distressing meltdown that lasts.
Emotional Regulation and Overwhelm
We learn emotional regulation in infancy, modelled and supported by our caregivers. If, for whatever reason, our parents/carers could not hold and soothe us enough when we were distressed, we won’t have internalised the ability for soothing and regulation well, which we carry into adulthood. This causes problems like anxiety and low mood, and being easil…