Brick Walls, Patterns and Overwhelm
“When you hit a brick wall, remove the bricks one by one and use them to create a path.”
Peggy O’Connell
I struggle with overwhelm.
BUT…
I am beginning to recognize the pattern.
Just as a brick wall has patterns, so does overwhelm.
What is overwhelm exactly? Here is one definition I found particularly accurate from talkspace.com in a post titled, How to Manage When We Feel Overwhelmed: "It (overwhelm) entails being completely overcome by an unruly and intense emotion that something is too challenging to manage and overcome. When confronted with being overwhelmed, it can be difficult to think and act rationally, and even function in a normal way."
Can you relate?
For me, overwhelm feels like running up against a brick wall. I get completely stuck; there is no way through or around it.
BUT…
Here is where recognizing the pattern comes into play. My pattern goes something like this:
I get excited about a task, project, plan, etc. I mean, super excited. I go all in.
Then I hit a brick wall. Whatever it is I am working on seems too big to take on.
I panic!
I look for a way out. I retreat, feel discouraged, and do nothing. Or. I trash the project by giving up and abandoning it altogether.
Inevitably, after much angst, God shows up amidst all this and inspires me to persevere.
I pull myself up and keep going one step at a time.
The problem with this pattern is that it can be a long, drawn-out cycle filled with the shame of not following through. I have episodes of beating myself up over how I should have done things differently. What I am learning is if I disrupt the pattern by recognizing the brick wall and busting through it, I can save myself a lot of time, wasted energy, and anxiety.
BUT…
How is breaking through the brick wall even possible, you may wonder. To do this, interrupting the cycle of overwhelm is essential. As I drew the picture below, I realized I have gathered many tools that can help: prayer, meditation, journaling, and exercise, to name a few. I can now gradually chip away at the brick wall and find a way through it. Using the tools is a practice and a work in progress, but it's worth the effort.
If you find yourself in a state of overwhelm or up against a brick wall, here are some ideas to ponder.
Look for patterns. Where and when is overwhelm showing up in your life? How does it make you feel?
Try writing or drawing out your overwhelm and subsequent patterns associated with it. You don't have to be a writer or an artist to do this. Putting thoughts on paper will help make patterns more visible.
Think of tools and techniques that work for you, or take time to focus on exploring and learning something new.
Make time to practice, practice, practice!
Overwhelm can feel big, scary, and larger than life. It can feel like an insurmountable brick wall.
BUT…
Let's gather our tools and break down the wall one brick at a time.
You've got this!
Walking the Journey with You,
MeganPrayer for October:
Dear God,
I am overwhelmed. I feel like I am running up against a brick wall. How do I get through it? Help me recognize the patterns in my life that make me panic, retreat, or walk away from a project. Inspire me. Remind me to use the tools I have acquired to take it one step at a time. Give me strength to break through the wall.
Amen
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