Learn to use compassion as a way to defend yourself against overwhelming emotions . Compassion allows you to be empathetic to the plight of other people but also requires that you are compassionate toward yourself . This means that you don ’ t need to feel guilty about seeking respite from being overwhelmed ; doing so ensures that you can be more engaged with others in the long run , rather than less so . It also means that you keep yourself whole by not immersing yourself in the world of negative people . 9 . Create and maintain a haven for disengagement . Leave many paths open that lead to communing with the resonance of nature . Returning to your rightful home as a creature of nature switches off your victim mentality and recharges you energetically and spiritually . Keep a picture of a waterfall or a lush forest with you and look at it when overwhelmed . Step onto the quiet of a forest path or absorb the coolness of a gently babbling brook from beneath a weeping willow . Maintain a your personal space of cozy retreat where you hook into your own personal power and energy . Practise Yoga and breathing techniques . These draw upon emotional centering and provide safe harbor in times of storm . Like this article ? Then join the Conversation with many others in EWAO ! By Judith Orloff MD , in 5 d