Hello Reader, How are you feeling?

Is your brain offering you the sense that, "I've got this"; or do you feel like you're in the spin of "I don't even know where to start"?

Overwhelm is the state in which your mental and emotional system is overloaded and gets locked in freeze mode. There is a surge of urgent energy to get things done and yet the open ended questions and uncertainty of the situation has you subsciously slamming the hypothetical breaks.

I'll be honest, here IS a lot to do and a ton of uncertainty in life. Everyone I work with has lots of important, innovative, and impactful work to do.

Leadership in our modern society expects a LOT; we expect a lot of ourselves. Feeling frazzled, confused, and stuck in inaction is not a character flaw.

You are not the problem. You just need some simple tools to support your way out of overwhelm and back into empowered, calm action.

My simple 3 step out of overwhelm:

1. Breathe. Pause the conflicting thoughts and urgent energy for 60 seconds. Just focus on your breath. Allow your mind and body to settle. Remind yourself that you are SAFE in this moment.
2. Center gratitude. List 5-10 things you are thankful for now. This focuses your mind on all the good things in your life that are supporting you.
3. Take ONE step. Moving forward creates directional momentum that disrupts ineffective spinning.

Feeling overwhelmed is like treading water with no help in sight. But as my swim teacher taught, you can ALWAYS stop treading and float. Floating does not change the water, it enables you to work with the water, regain your breath, and find strength to take a stroke in one direction.

When we find ourselves in overwhelm we fight the circumstance of "too much to do, too little time", but it is similar to trying to fight the water.

Most likely you will not, "Do it all". And being ok with doing what you can will help you start moving in a direction and actually support you getting more done than staying stuck in overwhelm.

Pro Tips: REMEMBER: If everything is priority than nothing is priority. IMAGINE: If you were sick in bed but you had energy to do ONE thing today, what would it be? Take a moment to look back and see all that you have accomplished. Our brain focuses on what is left to do which drains our energy vs. remembering how far we have come which is more motivating.

Want more tools and supportive practices in becoming a more calm effective leader? Join me live the 1st Wednesday after Labor Day.

SAVE THE DATE: JOIN ME LIVE 9/4/24 AT 12 PM CST