I know that many of us feel at times overwhelmed with all there is to do – all the ways we are asked to show up.

As my intuitive coaching practice has taken off this year, I have so many clients who consult with me because they are seeking a clarity on their life path and feel overwhelmed with the hectic 24/7 pace in their lives.  After several clients reported this same sense of overwhelm, I found myself curious as to the meaning of whelm.  If we are ‘over’ something, then where is the balance?

So, I went to my favorite source – the dictionary – to find the meaning of whelm.

Whelm: a verb; to engulf or submerge.

Well, the meaning and energy of whelm inspired me to give what I called practicing whelm as an exercise for my clients. One client described her sense of overwhelm as the desire to just drive off the highway and keep going. Another, the inability to let herself create art until all the tasks on the proverbial to-do list were done, which of course they never were and a third who is such a pillar of strength for others that she was literally not able to stand on her own as her health had declined.

In each instance, I suggested an activity or exercise that gave them the opportunity to submerge for a time, to go off road, to take the art break, to let go of a task or an event at work, and just dive underneath the surface of their life’s for five minutes… 10 minutes… 30 minutes and practice whelm without the wait. You see, when we put off balancing our hectic outer lives with our quiet inner life, then the weight of whelm takes over.Women in particular as the nurturer/caretaker often use these descriptors of their emotional landscape – “I feel trapped in a box with no way out,” “I’m drowning,” “I feel weighed down by my life,” or “I’m suffocating.” If you hear yourself say these words this month, take note. Listen to that small, still voice asking to practice whelm. Listen to that voice asking to submerge and sit in the silence for a few moments.