Overwhelm In Online Times — What To Do? Nothing!
- Jul 1, 2021
- 5 min read
Updated: Mar 1, 2023
Written by: Lisa Lukretia Fischer, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
Do you have times when you get overwhelmed? When you feel your head rushing? When you just cannot sleep because your head is so full of ideas, unfinished business, or new things to start?
I know I do.
At least, that is what usually happens when I spend too much time online, where the speed of information upload and exchange seems to be ever-increasing. If thoughts were clouds, the online world must be a tropical hurricane.
For me personally, I find that I easily fall into the loop of wanting "more more more." Craving that next dopamine hit so badly. All along dis-learning how to relax, let go, surrender and be calm.
And I also know that by writing another article, I only seem to be worsening the issue of digital pollution - like who has time to read all the material online?
However, I also hold the strong belief that I am meant to put myself out there, to inspire someone, to give hope, to share the joy, and alleviate pain. That is what life is for, in my opinion, and the online world is just a bigger playground. So, I am trusting that whoever is attracted to reading this will be of benefit to them.
This article is not meant to give you new insights, findings from current research, or any kind of data your logical mind can sift through.
My aim is to reconnect you back to your inner wisdom, to give you an impulse to slow down and start to listen to your inner guidance.
For this, I usually use old-school meditation as a tool.
However, since we are online and this is a text medium, this might seem funky, but stay with me – I am trying something new here.
So this text is meant as a meditation. A simple text, no real overarching story – just simple and flowy thoughts of mine. If you want to do yourself one favor, to get the full gusto out of this meditation, then read it slowly, do not try to understand it. Just let it sink in and allow yourself to relax.
Like anything in life, the speed and intensity at which we do anything can be changed at will. And that changes the effect that activity has on us.
So, if this was a meditation, there is no need to speed-read, nothing to get through to the end, nothing complex to ponder or engage your mind in. Just nice and pleasant slow-reading.
Meditation - at least the way I learned it - is about non-attachment. It is about calming the fluctuations of the mind. It is about non-judgmentally observing your thoughts and then letting them pass. Like a child laying in the grass looking at the clouds passing by, maybe counting them or not.
The tricky thing with thoughts and clouds is: you cannot actively make them go away.
And you never know how many there might be – you can only watch them pass.
Or, if you are inclined to play games, and if you happen to not like a particular cloud, you just look out for another more pleasant, cool, funky-looking cloud (a.k.a. thought) to focus on.
What I want to say is: Sometimes the sky is blue, and the sun is shining and some days it is all cloudy, or the grey sky might take so long to clear up that you start doubting the sun even exists (hello winter in Europe for that matter).
But no matter how many clouds there are, you can trust that the sun, your personal sunshine of mind, your consciousness is always there, even though you might not see it all the time.
Just like the sun, the quiet, peaceful state of mind keeps us alive and refreshed, gives us all the happy, energized feelings, and connects us to ourselves and others. And you never know, sometimes it even gives you a tan through the cloud cover.
Something deep inside of you knows the feeling of that sunny place when it shows up again. It is a very innate knowing.
It is that place where all is well. It is a very old and wise part of you that does not need to question everything. That always shines a light on what is important to you. It is where safety, freedom, excitement, and space are all combined. Just that wonderful feeling of being alive, of feeling tall and confident, of almost floating a bit higher than your body.
It is giving up control over your thoughts (and the clouds) that makes us calm and happy. That control creates resistance and attachment and is only frustrating in the long run. Like why would you even consider letting your happiness balloon be dragged down from the sunny sky? That makes no sense.
So my remedy to overwhelm is to do nothing. To literally stop, get offline and outside, to lie in the grass and watch my cloudy thoughts until the sun comes out again. Sometimes literally, sometimes on my meditation pillow.
And even if the sky does not clear up right away, I have learned through practice that it eventually always will. This gives me calm grounding, trust, and an indescribable feeling of ease. That life works out for us, that we are all enough, and that sometimes less is more. And that no amount of physical/online stuff is worth paying for with my peace of mind.
From my heart to your heart, I wish you all the calm you need to go through your own personal storm.
Lisa Lukretia Fischer, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Lisa Lukretia Fischer is a certified professional coach who helps female entrepreneurs build a holistic framework for emotional resilience, mental focus, and improved productivity to succeed in business.
Having grown from her own serious health issues, physical and psychological trauma, she is now deeply passionate about the importance of wellbeing and resilience. With this awareness, she loves providing the space and structure to develop the former with the aim of bringing entrepreneurial desires to fruition.
Pulling from her background as an environmental engineer, trainer in competitive sports, a teacher at inclusive schools, and yoga instructor, she combines aspects of high performance, intermittent relaxation, and loving acceptance into her coaching philosophy.
Lisa holds degrees as Energy Leadership Index Master Practitioner, COR.E Dynamics Wellbeing Specialist, and Hatha Yoga Instructor (RYT200).
Outside of her professional endeavors, she thoroughly enjoys reading books and dancing salsa.
