5 ways to deal with overwhelm this month and beyond Dealing with overwhelm can be a little more complicated than our previous monthly challenges. It’s easier to switch detergents and clean up your closet than it is to change your activities and longstanding patterns of responding. Still, in keeping with my promise of simple and easy challenges for the year, these five steps are good first steps, and will certainly help. 1-If you completed last month’s challenge and zapped several tolerations, congratulations. See if you can zap a few more this month, too. Zapping tolerations is a great way to ease feelings of overwhelm and stress because it gives you the feeling of control and completion. Plus, you don’t have to keep looking at what’s annoying and draining you without it ever being taken care of.  Like the famous footwear slogan says, “Just Do It.” 2-Practice self-awareness. Before you can make meaningful changes you have know what is going on between your two ears. What are you saying to yourself that overwhelms you? Hint: Listen for words that sound like this: I should, have to, need to, must, I still need to, and “I didn’t do ___ and ___and___, yet.” What have you piled on your plate that is too much, too big, too frequent (whether you view it as positive or negative)? Pay attention to the energy of your words, also. Do they sound calm and excited, or frantic and stressful? Write down what you are telling yourself that feels overwhelming. Is anyone else telling you this? Also pay attention to your energy during these times. Do you feel tension in your muscles or butterflies in your stomach? These are just two signs that not only is your mind feeling stressed, but your body as well. As you practice self-awareness, you will better be able to recognize where your limits and boundaries are, how you feel when you respect them, and how you feel when you don’t. Keep in mind that many ‘have-to’s are really choices you are making. Acknowledge this and you get back a sense of control, whether you choose to continue with the choice or not. 3-When you really do have something you must do, write it down. Then you don’t have to keep thinking about it. Better yet, if possible, do it first thing in the morning and get it over with, especially if you aren’t thrilled about it. Allow yourself twice as much time as you think you’ll need. Accomplishing this task right off is an immediate energy and enthusiasm booster for the rest of the day. 4-Speaking of writing things down, write down everything you think you ‘have to’ do for the day. Prioritize them 1-10, by color, or whatever system you want. Get the important things done first. Then, if you have time and feel like it, do the rest later or whenever or never.  Most of what we think we ‘have to’ do today can wait. Ask yourself, “What would happen if I didn’t _____today?” If it’s an energy draining toleration, schedule in when you are going to take care of it, and do it. 5-Practice saying NO.  Really. Look in the mirror, at the mess around you, or at a picture of someone demanding and say, “No.” Sing and dance it. Make saying no fun in your practice time. Make it feel good. “No, I won’t spend all day cleaning up after you. No, I can’t help with that. No I don’t want to do that. No, I’m not staying up late to watch ___ (and lose sleep and feel exhausted tomorrow). No, Uh-uh, no.”  Practice so that when the time comes to say it for real, it just pops out of your mouth! Conversely, YES is a lovely word when you really want to say it. “Yes, I will take a long, hot bath tonight. Yes, I’d love to go out for dinner tomorrow. Yes, thank you for offering to help. Yes, I want to help with your fundraiser on Tuesday (but not all week).” Feeling overwhelmed is often about feeling out of control. It is one we stress ourselves. Sometimes, we use it as a torturous way to motivate ourselves, given that there is too much to do with your time, energy, and motivation; you push or allow yourself to get pushed anyway. Take back control of your day wherever you can. You will feel better and probably get more meaningful work and activities accomplished while not fretting the small stuff. Ready, breathe. Breathe again. That’s it. That’s the most important thing you have to do today and every day. Make this your mantra, “No hurry, no worry.” How else would you like to use your gifts of energy and time today? Tell us below. Views:]]>