I seem to hear this a lot these days. “I’m overwhelmed.”
It’s a powerful word. According to the dictionary, overwhelm
means to “drown or bury under a huge
mass.” Wikipedia goes even ever
further: “to overpower or overcome, especially with superior forces; destroy;
crush.” A softer meaning, “to give a person too much of something.”
Either way, it’s a common experience. I visit the land of
Overwhelm myself too often for my taste.
It got me wondering. Is it literally because there is
exponentially more stuff in life these days?
Certainly there is more information, and way more options. More demands for our attention. Juggling
between our work, our families, and our personal needs. Trying to please
everyone and saying Yes to far too many things. Having unrealistic expectations
of what we should be able to achieve. Trying to be perfect.
No wonder we are overwhelmed.
So, what’s a person to do?
Well, as always, my first response is to take a deep breath.
Or several.
When everything I need to do is swirling around in my head
and I start to feel like I am drowning under it, I step away. Literally pull
away from my desk. Get up and go into a different room. Or step outside into
the sunshine. Get a fresh perspective. Close my eyes and take those deep
breaths.
Then I ask myself, “What
is most important to me right now?” And I wait for the answer - kind of
like watching something rise from the bottom of a pool… allowing the answer to
float up. It’s often not what I
expected.
Maybe it’s even to drop it all and go take a walk. Or shift
gears completely.
Another helpful question I like to ask myself when feeling
overwhelmed is, “Why am I doing
this?” Not just settling for the first answer that pops in my head, but going deeper and deeper until I get to the core of it. Getting in touch with my Why helps me connect with my real reasons
for doing what I am doing.
Sometimes the answer helps me realize that what I am doing
is really not serving my deepest aspirations, and allows me to let go of
something I had committed to for the wrong reasons, or for reasons that were right at the time but no longer make sense.
Other times, the answer might reconnect me with my true
passion and purpose, and help me to renew my focus and clarity.
So next time you find yourself in the land of Overwhelm,
dearest reader, reach for this little 7-step ticket out of there:
- Physically step away from where you are.
- Take a few deep breaths.
- Ask yourself “What is most important to me right now?”
- Ask yourself “Why am I doing this?”
- Wait for the answers to come to you.
- Proceed accordingly.
- Welcome back home to the Land of Peace.
