3 Steps to Breakthrough Overwhelm

Overwhelm can feel completely paralyzing. Whether it's an endless to do list in front of you, a big life decision that's requiring your attention or you're in the middle of one of life's storms and just can't seem to catch a break. Here are three steps that can help you breakthrough that overwhelm and make life feel a little more manageable:

Step 1) Get present

Focusing on the present will make it possible for your nervous system to come out of fight or flight (the sympathetic state). We don't often make the best choices when we are in that state. So whatever makes you feel like you can cut away the past and the future, do it. Whether that's yoga, meditation, bike rides, painting, reading, running, boxing, cooking, deep breathing. Pick something that you genuinely enjoy and you have time for. Pick one thing and focus on it.

When your thoughts start to wander away from the task you're engaged in, bring your focus back to the task, back to this present moment. This will help you cut away the narratives that are not serving the moment. Bringing the past or the future into this moment right now can make your thoughts so clouded. This is not the optimal way to make the best choices moving forward.

Once you're present, your nervous system will start to reset allowing your chaotic thoughts to become calmer and more useful to you.

Step 2) Let go of what you can't control

This one is tough one, I know, it takes practice. But being able to recognize what is in your control and what isn't can be incredibly liberating! It is also so useful when you stop focusing your time, energy and mental space on trying to change something that is really not in your control to change.

When you let go of your grip of what you can't control, you are able to refocus on what you can: you and your actions/responses.

Step 3) Get clarity and move forward

We can often get swept up in an endless to do list that we can lose sight of what is actually most important. Or life is throwing us a million different things at once making it feel impossible to move forward.

Get it down on paper.

Doing a brain dump of all the things that are swimming around in your head in order to create the much needed mental space to get clear and move forward. Whether it's a list of to dos or a list of all the chaotic tests life seems to be throwing your way, circle the top priority. What is most important to focus on right NOW? Trust that everything else can wait. Get laser focused on dealing with that thing and feel that heavy weight on your shoulders start to get a little lighter.

What is most important to focus on right NOW?

Repeat Step 3 as many times as you need to, focusing on one task or obstacle at a time. Don't forget to reach out to someone you trust if you need support. We are not meant to go through this life alone. And PLEASE take time to rest, trusting that you will be in a much better mental space to handle all of life's messes when you do.

YOU GOT THIS!

If you tried these steps, I would love to know what your experience was! Let me know with a comment down below.