Stop World, I Want To Get Off!

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Have you ever had those moments when everything seems too much and you wish you could take a time out like they do in sport?

What would you do in those time out moments?

I have felt overwhelmed with life a lot recently. So I started to work out what was going on for me.

I find that I get too caught up in stuff that I have no control over. I give it too much weight and that weight overburdens me.

Where do I turn at those moments? I would like to say that I always turn to the Lord. But I don’t always think of that first. Sometimes I bury myself in a book. Sometimes, I have a beer. Sometimes I find myself getting angry at everyone around me. Eventually, in desperation I reach out to the Lord, and take time out to focus inwardly as to why I’m overwhelmed and try to find peace. I read a great quote from Buddha which said:

“Peace comes from within, do not seek it without.”

Understanding that I’m not ultimately in control of everything is important. Looking inward for answers instead of looking outward for answers also reminds me of the serenity prayer:

“God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change:
The courage to change the things that I can:
And the wisdom to know the difference.”

When I started to feel overwhelmed this week and was shouting, “Stop World, I want to get off!”, I took a moment and started by doing something that helped me clear the clutter from my mind. I cleaned up my office. This act helped ground me in the reality of my world for this moment.

It isn’t always possible to take a time out and dig deep for answers. Sometimes we need a distraction (some mindless, easy task like cleaning) to help get to a place where we can make the space to seek some answers.

However, there is no right answer for everyone. I try to step out of life for a moment, not to numb myself or disconnect (although for me I sometimes need to disconnect), but to be still and find the joy in the small things, to take one step at a time. To be grateful to the Lord knowing that he is always there with me, walking by my side.

I have found that I often feel overwhelmed because I am not happy with my life. I go through each day with the same mundane, tedious tasks that have to be done. I have to remind myself often that I chose this path and that no-one else is responsible. So to change it, I have to be the one to do so. So I seek the courage to change the things that I can…

I would love to hear your experiences of life becoming overwhelming and what you do in those moments. Feel free to share!

About Anne Waters

Anne is a wife, mother and career woman. She is married to Gary and has 3 children. She grew up in Scotland and went to Edinburgh University where she got an MA in Japanese. She moved to London after University and spent the next 10 years working for various Japanese and American companies using her Japanese and gaining valuable business skills. It was in London that Anne met Gary and decided to get married and have children. After their second child was born, they moved to Durban in South Africa, where they live now and where Gary is from originally. Their third child was born in South Africa. Anne is now able to be a full time mother to their three children, whilst teaching Japanese and English as a Foreign Language during the hours the children are at school. Anne was raised in the Church of Scotland and came to the New Church through marriage and has spent the last 7 years in South Africa delving deeper into the writings of the New Church with the support, love and friendship of other like-minded women in the New Church in Westville.

3 thoughts on “Stop World, I Want To Get Off!”

  1. Hi Anne!
    I’m sorry life has felt often overwhelming of late. It does seem to move in waves like that. Thank you for sharing your story!

    Ann

  2. Thank you for this, Anne! Such a universal feeling, I think. Thank you for expressing it so concisely. I love your line about asking for the courage to change what you can. I will remember that.

    These are not in the moment in the same way, but I know that if I am not doing bigger long-term self care things, then I feel so much more trapped and unhinged by the day to day demands. So doing something I love and that feeds me creatively and spiritually like painting, and taking care of my body through exercising and eating well. I guess sometimes in the moment I am inspired to stop and reflect on if I HAVE been doing any of these things. And what I would like to do (and which your post reminded me of) is to ask the Lord for the strength and conviction to do the things that are good for me rather than the things that feel immediately good. I often skip that step of turning to the Lord for help. Kinda an important one 🙂

    1. Thank you for writing this, Anne. And Tania, your comment is spot on. I was having an overwhelmed stretch yesterday and was happy to finally get around to reading this article today. The reminder to look for peace within is so helpful. AND that I chose the path I’m on and that, overall, I love it. I do just need to make space for peace–whether that means decluttering the house or just decluttering my ever-growing list of needs or to-dos. I find that music and singing are a great way for me to reset. Taking a shower helps too. 🙂

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