Are You Overwhelmed or Is It Something Else?

Do you ever feel like you have so much on your to-do list and there is no way you’ll ever get it all done?

Or, are you getting a lot done but constantly frustrated WHILE you’re being productive–at the gym, at work, and with your family?

I know I have felt this way. And, many of my high-achieving clients do, too. They’re successful people who are extremely productive and efficient. But, they can feel drained physically, mentally, and emotionally as they go through their days. This is no way to live!

Judgment is not only cast upon others. It is also cast upon ourselves.

It’s easy to look at our circumstances and determine that the issue is outside of us. But what if I told you that overwhelm is not caused by external circumstances, but by our judgement of those circumstances? In other words, it’s not what’s happening in our lives that causes overwhelm, but how we perceive and react to it.

So, a state of overwhelm really comes from within. It’s a state of mind or feeling that we have too much to do or that we have to have it ALL done now. It might even be a perception that we’re not capable of taking care of all of our “required” respnsibilities. As you can see, it’s these thoughts that lead to a feeling of anxiety related to overwhelm. And, these thoughts could be an exaggeration of the truth in your life versus the reality of your life. The good news is that with this awareness we can impact our thoughts and emotions to help curb that feeling of overwhelm.

Here’s an Example

For example, I was recently working with a client who felt trapped at her job. She felt that her workload was overwhelming and she did not have time to find a new job, even if she wanted to. The truth was that she was juggling a lot at work. But, when I explored more deeply with her, we found ways to support her in feeling less overwhelemd and more empowered.

Tips to Overcome Overwhelm

1. Be in the Present: Take a moment to look at your situation objectively and aim to be in the present moment.
2. Reframe Your Perspective: Remember that everything in life has the meaning we give it. The reality of your life may not be horrible, but your judgment of it – or what is occurring – is draining your energy. So, begin examining those thoughts.
3. Embrace Choice: What makes people happy isn’t necessarily what they’re doing, but if they’re in CHOICE–meaning they feel like they are MAKING A CHOICE–about what they’re doing. In the example with my client, she felt trapped. But the reality is, she had a choice in the matter: continue with the job OR make the time to look for a new one. Inaction is another choice.
4. Balance Masculine and Feminine Energies: Consider if you’re trying to power through your day which can be masculine energy. If so, can you embrace a more feminine approach such as being more gentle and nurturing with yourself to support you over being hard on your journey.

How to Apply These Tips to Go From Overwhelm to Empowered

If you feel like you’re in a similar situation, here is how these tips can come together. Take a step back and reevaluate how you want to approach the situation:

Look at how you’re living your life and determine if you’re in choice or if you feel like you HAVE to do an activity. If you feel like you HAVE to do something, can you reframe your perspective so you’re ok with doing the activity?

Another way to evaluate if you’re in choice is to look at how you spend your time. If you’re working, exercising, seeing friends, and doing what you generally want to do but you’re still frustrated throughout your day, notice your thoughts while you’re doing the activities. If you are at the gym and feel frustrated because you didn’t have as long of a workout as you wanted due to your work schedule, notice these thoughts are depleting you and not that you didn’t get a workout in. Then, think about how you can shift or regulate your thoughts in a way that feels more truthful and positive such as at least I got 30 minutes of exercise in my day.

Lastly, I know people can rely on mental toughness to power through situations that they don’t like, such as having to work late and missing activities that they enjoy. That toughness has probably helped you be successful. But, that toughness is associated with masculine energy. If it’s overused, then you’ll feel off balance or depleted because your feminine energy is underused. This means your whole entity feels off.

So be sure you are weaving your masculine AND feminine energies together. What that could look like is also embracing mental “agility” in your work and life for more balance. There is power and joy in maintaining our balance.

If You Would Like Support

If you’re finding yourself in a similar situation, hope you can use these practical steps to help you live with more choice in your life. Remember, you have the power to transform overwhelm into empowerment.

For a more in depth dive into your situation, sign up for a complimentary coaching session with me.

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