Addressing overwhelm...

"I'm so overwhelmed..." Over a period of two months, I heard myself utter this phrase *multiple* times. I always added a meek, "...in a good way though..." afterwards. One day I noticed that I spoke this out loud to two different people within hours of each other. In that moment, I realized it had become an issue and needed my attention. I do not aspire to live in overwhelm. I knew I needed to quickly change this story before it became a permanent pattern.

I grabbed my journal and wrote down everything that was contributing to the feelings of overwhelm. When that list felt complete, I asked: How can I simplify and ease the feelings of overwhelm?

I wrote down the first thoughts that came to mind in my journal. I asked again and wrote additional ideas on a mind map. Then I connected with my heart and asked for its guidance, too, making a heart map.

Feeling like I had gotten everything on to the page brought an initial wave of relief. First of all, I could clearly see everything I was working with. And I could see potential solutions and a path forward.

Some of the big themes I noticed:

• I needed to get shit done. There was a whole list of little tasks that I kept moving from one day to the next on my calendar. Every day, this ridiculously long list of unfinished business taunted me, frustrated me, and drained my energy. I committed to stop procrastinating and get these things done, or take them off my to-do list altogether.
• My work time had become very scattered. I was constantly switching between meetings and desk time, and was having a hard time adjusting between the different activities. Plus I found myself trying to squeeze tasks into a few minutes here and there between other commitments, which wasn't very effective or productive. I revisited time blocking on my calendar, grouping like tasks for efficiency and focus.
• I needed to spend less time in front of the television and mindless scrolling on social media. I committed to be more purposeful in my social media use, and to spend less time on it overall. I also committed to practice rest and relaxation in healthier and more productive ways instead of lying on the couch each night.
• I realized I'd been spending less time on the activities that restore and refuel me, so I'd been getting drained easier and not replenishing myself. And when I feel tired, I feel overwhelmed much quicker. I committed to spent more time doing the activities that fill me up.
• I had been carrying some heavy emotional weight that I was having a hard time releasing. I made a commitment to address this head-on and allowed myself time and space for the necessary self-healing and energy-clearing practices so I could finally release the emotional burdens.

I welcomed ease and flow back into my life. I focused, I acted with more purpose and intention, and I shifted to making more high-energy choices in each moment. Making these few adjustments made a HUGE difference, not only in my energy level, but also how often I experienced feelings of overwhelm.

Do you struggle with overwhelm, too? How do you react and what do you do when you find yourself here?

If you need some support identifying and addressing the sources of stress and overwhelm in YOUR life, let's get scheduled for a discovery call to see how I can help.

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