The Age of Overwhelm: Strategies for the Long Haul [Paperback]

Whether we are overwhelmed by work or school; our families or communities; caretaking for others or ourselves; or engagement in social justice, environmental advocacy, or civil service, just a few subtle shifts can help sustain us. Laura van Dernoot Lipsky, bestselling author of Trauma Stewardship, shows us how by offering concrete strategies to help us mitigate harm, cultivate our ability to be decent and equitable, and act with integrity. The Age of Overwhelm aims to help ease our burden of overwhelm, restore our perspective, and give us strength to navigate what is yet to come.“For those who battle worrying over everything from daily to global issues, best-selling author Lipsky (Trauma Stewardship) says the first step is to separate what is and isn’t within our control; the second step is to act on that which is in our power to change and relinquish what is not. ­Combining New Yorker cartoons and sage advice, Lipsky moves readers through the process of minimizing distraction and heightening intention. By paring away the unnecessary, advises the author, people do less of what erodes them and more of what sustains them, asserting that only then can we be a force for good in the world. VERDICT An engaging read that will appeal to anyone who is feeling overwhelmed and looking for support.”
— Library Journal
 
The truth is that there is almost no place left to hide from overwhelm. The media is constantly asking us to be upset about something new. Our neighbors attempt to relieve their stress by making nerve-shattering noise all night. If you move to an unpopulated rural area to escape the overstimulation, the next thing you know they’re building a high-density housing development next door, or illegally dumping toxic waste in your backyard, or using eminlc