It’s been over a week since my last post…but I haven’t been lazy, just off-line. Interestingly enough I have had several conversations during this time…and man, gripping isn’t even close to describing those conversations. And all seemed to have a common thread. Actually, I can go back almost a month in this regard.

Bottom line…literally everyone I have spoken to about current events for the last month, and without doubt or question for the last couple of weeks, have all felt the same…either overwhelmed or darn close to it. And why wouldn’t they they feel that way!

I was going to do a SitRep this week and talk about:

1. Historic highs in corporate bankruptcies.
2. The radical protesters still outside SCOTUS’s homes…a felony…and DOJ is not doing anything about it.
3. Historic high number of folks missing debt payments.
4. Consumer debt rising by $142billion last quarter, more than a trillion $’s since last year.
5. Productivity is plummeting…fell 2.7% in the 1^st Qtr of 2023 alone.
6. The IRS is spending an average of over $3,000,000 per year on…wait for it…military equipment for its agents.
7. Then there is a personal favorite…60 – 68% of Americans hate Washington DC, hate the Republicans, and hate the Democrats…and yup, hate Biden. Perfectly understandable and not surprising.
8. Then there is the sobering and very serious issue of 85,000 immigrant children that are missing, can’t be found, and are unaccounted for…under the Biden Administration. And I would add, a bit scary considering the numerous accusations of child sex trafficking against high-profile Democrats and Jeffery Epstein. And considering we are seeing these kids, some 10-years old, turning up in meat packing plants and McDonald’s as child labor.

But, those topics are almost ‘normal’ and daily news stories now a days. And that is the worst of it…it is part of the new normal.

So why didn’t I write a SitRep? Why have I been off-line so much since the first of April? Partly because I am been extremely busy getting our place and ourselves ready for SHTF that is coming quickly and soon. And honestly, some of it has been the ‘overwhelming’ aspect of life right now.

Each and every day there is some new revelation of evil occurring in the world…and specifically in the US. It comes at us at an unrelenting pace, from every angle, 24 hours a day. You know it, you feel it, you see it, it is grim and wide-spread. It can easily become overwhelming…especially piled on top of just regular life, day-to-day issues that each of us have.

So I have chosen to concentrate on what I can do each day to be better prepared, a better husband, a better disciple, and a better friend/neighbor. And I am telling you…that keeps me super busy!

Here is my question to you…Are you overwhelmed?

Yes, of course I am serious! If you focus too much on the news, especially the troubling news, you can become jaded, biased, cynical, and overwhelmed with it all. Once that occurs…you are in big trouble!

So here are some signs of becoming overwhelmed⁽¹⁾ –

• Irrational thoughts: You may struggle to think rationally, which can make the problem seem inflated and your perceived ability to deal with it feel deflated.
• Paralysis: You may experience a freeze response that can cause you to feel paralyzed and unable to function. Even simple tasks can feel impossible. You may find yourself postponing stressful tasks, or avoid them altogether.
• Disproportionate reactions: You may overreact to minor stressors. For instance, you may panic if you’re unable to find your keys.
• Withdrawal: You may find yourself withdrawing from friends and family. You may feel like they can’t help you or understand what you’re going through.
• Pessimism: You may feel helpless and hopeless about the situation.
• Mood changes: You may feel angry, irritable, or anxious, and cry easily.
• Cognitive fatigue: You may feel confused and have difficulty concentrating, making decisions, and solving problems.
• Physical symptoms: You may experience physical symptoms such as rapid heartbeat, difficulty breathing, dizziness, fatigue, headaches, cramps, an upset stomach, or other aches and pains.

Here is another way to look at it⁽²⁾ –

• Your heart is racing and it feels hard to breathe. “This may be a sign that your sympathetic nervous system — the part of your nervous system that activates the fight or flight response — is working overtime, and anxiety is in the driver’s seat,” says Diane Robinson, PhD, a neuropsychologist at Orlando Health.

How to fix it: Try to slow down your breathing, says Robinson. Instead of focusing on the length of your to-do list, concentrate on an activity you can do at this very moment — something that you can control, such as yoga and meditation. Aches, pains, dizziness and even an impaired immune system can be signs that your body is under chronic stress, according to Robinson.
How to fix it: Relaxation exercises can be helpful for easing muscular tension that increases joint pain. Practicing mindfulness can help you clear your thoughts, refocus and reduce stress.

• Emotional and behavioral changes such as moodiness, crying easily, irritability and withdrawal often signal when your stress is mounting.

How to fix it: Talking through your stress with a licensed therapist can provide notable relief, experts say. It can help you approach and address your stress from another person’s point of view. “Try to take a step back, observe your thoughts and gently challenge yourself to find alternate explanations for your stress-related thoughts,” says Robinson.

• You can’t stay focused on tasks, and you’re missing out on your favorite fun activities. Lowered concentration and increased apathy might be a result of stress-related sleep issues or intrusive thoughts.

How to fix it: Robinson recommends performing one task at a time, writing lists and setting up a schedule where you tackle tasks that need the most brain power when you have the maximum amount of energy.

• You feel guilt or anger for taking on too many responsibilities. Whether they stem from caring for an infirm relative, taking on extra chores or simply being someone’s sounding board, feelings of guilt and anger can be overwhelming and lead to chronic stress.

How to fix it: Practice delegating appropriate tasks to other people, including your children. Whether it’s cooking a meal, doing the grocery shopping or walking the dog, these small responsibility shifts can help lighten your daily load, reduce feelings of guilt and anger, and balance out stress levels.

Three years ago I re-wrote a series of articles on Situational Awareness (SA); in the Summary – Part #8 I mentioned ‘Information/mental overload’ and it being a barrier to good SA. In Part #3 I spoke specifically to being ‘overwhelmed’. Bottom line…if you are overwhelmed your SA stinks.

I am not saying to ignore current events and news…no sir, I am not. What I am saying is you only need so much of it to know what is happening…in general. Do you really need all the details, the minutia, of everything taking place? Example: You know banks are failing and have been for months now. Do you need to know every time a bank fails, what the name is, how bad was it, where was it, etc? No.

Now, if 20 banks fail in 1 week or one day…that tells you plenty enough to do what you have to do…what your plan tells you to do. Don’t overwhelm yourself with too much information…it won’t help you…but it will hurt your Situational Awareness.

It is important that we not allow ourselves to become overwhelmed…vitally important. We must be on top of our game right now. There is a strategy called “Cloward–Piven” in regards to crashing the US economy to bring in socialism/Communism. It is rather simple in design…overload the system which then cashes it. We see that happening in every single aspect of daily life now. It is by design, it is to overload everything to crash all of it. Then, as I have explained before, the populace cried out for a solution. That is where the authoritarians, some would say Fascists, step up, offer their plan, and take over everything.

I say we are about 80% of the way there as you read this article.

If at all possible don’t allow yourself to become overloaded or overwhelmed…keep your head on straight. Focus on what you know to be right, concentrate on what you have to do, think clearly, and act decisively.

If you are overwhelmed…it is perfectly understandable! This world is absolutely nuts right now…completely upside down. We’ve never seen a time like this, ever. Know that you can get through this and lead your family to a better place. You have the strength to overcome anything…it is inside of you…let your strength bloom and blossom.

This is the 9^th inning folks…stay in the game! When this goes into overtime…you will have to be at the top of your game and be ready for it. Being overwhelmed prevents you from being at the top of your game.

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Related Articles –

• SitRep – 03/26/2020
• Situational Awareness: Part 3 – Barriers to SA
• Situational Awareness: Part 8 – Summary
• (__XXX__) Fatigue
• Situational Awareness: Introduction

 

^{1 – Verywellmind
2 – OrlandoHealth}

 

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