Understanding yourself better can unlock a new future.
Emotional and cognitive overwhelm can quickly and alarmingly impact our ability to function effectively – or in extreme cases – at all. We become so overcome or overpowered by thoughts or feelings, that doing the simplest things can seem beyond our reach. If you have ever found yourself in this place, consider taking comfort in knowing that your brain and body are so incredibly designed that the overwhelm you’re experiencing is acting like a circuit breaker or alarm for you. It seems understandable that we would not choose to experience this, but if we didn’t, the potential consequences of the circuit breaker not tripping or the alarm not sounding are far more serious.
If you haven’t ever felt overwhelmed, it’s likely that you have experienced some level of stress that’s impacted you in unhelpful ways. How would you know how close you were to overwhelm and the potentially serious consequences of reaching that state? How might others around you know? Being emotionally and cognitively self-aware and being known by others is a powerful antidote. But for that to be effective, we first need to be prepared to be in an ongoing enquiry about ourselves and what’s going on in our lives. How would you know if you were one more event or trigger away from overwhelm? What would the warning signs or symptoms be? How could others support you in identifying those indicators? Being overwhelmed is not a sign of weakness or inadequacy. Neither is acknowledging to yourself and others that you’re struggling.
If we back up from the point of overwhelm, it’s likely that with the benefit of hindsight, we may be able to identify and map a path or markers that were there. At the time, we may not have noticed, or perhaps understood the significance of the warning signs that could help to prevent future experiences of this kind. So, how do we tackle prevention before we get to the point of needing a cure? It all starts in the mirror. But if we don’t make the space and time for that mirror perspective, then it’s likely we will have learned little or nothing, and that our experience has not contributed to us growing and developing in ways that are optimal for our wellbeing.
How often do you contemplate and reflect on what you’re experiencing – either in the present or the recent past? This could be emotionally, cognitively, physically, spiritually, or perhaps something else. To spend time focused on yourself is unlikely to be wasted or selfish. You may never have done this much before – or perhaps at all. Now might be a great time to consider starting. Being in ongoing enquiries about ourselves, our lives and the world we live in, can open up greater understanding, more choice, growth and freedom.
We’ve explored being in an enquiry in a previous blog, so here’s a convenient link Blog #49 Enquire about Enquiries. There are so many benefits to creating time to be with yourself in the stillness and quiet of your own presence. The space you create allows you to notice and reflect on what you’re experiencing. Journalling can be such a help as it allows us to capture thoughts as they arise. We don’t need to give them meaning, but over time, the collection of things you notice and observe are likely to bring insights you’ve never seen before.
Knowing ourselves more deeply takes practise, but the benefits can change our life. Please get in touch using one of the website links if you would like to explore the possibility of joining a Fovea Insights Programmes and start your journey to walk in the fullness of who you were born to be.