Do you ever feel like no matter how much you do or how hard you work your to-do list just keeps growing instead of shrinking? It feels like having too many tabs open on your computer. It feels like dishes that keep piling up even though you swear you just cleaned the kitchen. It feels like laundry that never ends. Your chest feels tight, and if you paid attention you would notice that you are breathing quickly. It’s Overwhelm. We all have seasons where we are overwhelmed. Where it just feels like there is too much to do. Too much for one human to possibly ever get done. But most of the time this is just a season. Overwhelm is not a personal flaw, instead it is just a signal to us to evaluate how we are managing life.

Experiencing overwhelm is a normal human condition. It often comes from trying to control things we can’t control, like people, outcomes, or timing. And sometimes that is in conjunction with neglecting to focus on the one thing we are in control of – our responses. There is a quote from one of the Stoics, Epictetus, that speaks to this. The quote says, “No matter what happens, it is within my power to turn it to my advantage.” This isn’t about pretending hard things are good, or pretending like this season is not hard at all. Instead, it is about choosing your angle. Shifting your mindset is always the key to dealing with a tough situation or season of life. Reframing your mindset helps you to see the good within the difficult situation. For example, with feeling overwhelmed – instead of crying and balling up in the fetal position, realize that the feeling of overwhelm is trying to tell you something. Maybe it is a signal that you need to set boundaries, acknowledging that you don’t have the bandwidth for everything that needs to get done. Are there things you can say “no” to? Or it could be signaling to you that you need to ask for help. Are there tasks you have on your to-do list that you could delegate to someone else?

There are some seasons that we just have more on our plates. I will often write about a topic that is relevant to me at the moment on these Thursday posts. I’m speaking to myself just as much as I am trying to encourage you! I have definitely felt the overwhelm creeping in as we get closer to our move. For those of you who don’t know, we currently live in Austin, Texas but one of our sons lives in Portland and we are planning to move to the PNW within the next 6 months. I feel pretty overwhelmed by everything that needs to get done before that move. But I recognize that part of feeling overwhelmed is my brain thinking I must do everything at once. I have tried tricks like making a list, but I am still feeling that pressure because all of the things that need to get done are not simple nor are they fun! But I just keep reminding myself to just keep working on a little bit every day. When I work with clients who feel overwhelmed in their spaces I remind them of that saying: how do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.

Sometimes when we are in a crazy busy season it can be more overwhelming to write everything down. Instead I wanted to give you some specific things you can do to feel more grounded if you are in a season of overwhelm. I am going to implement these ideas as well. First, continuing any daily healthy habits you have in your routine. This can keep you grounded in general. Things like daily walking, exercising, drinking plenty of water, and/or spending time in prayer or meditation. All of these things help to reset our nervous systems. Something else you could do is write down specific micro actions you can take today or this week instead of writing out the entire to-do list. Like I mentioned, we can only eat an elephant one bite at a time. Taking those larger, less manageable tasks and breaking it down into micro tasks can make it feel less daunting. Lastly, you can name one thing that is within your control today. Being reminded of what you are in control of can go a long way to helping you reframe. Even in busy seasons of life, we can embrace that it is within our power to turn it to our advantage. If this resonated with you or you have been feeling overwhelmed lately, let me know what ideas I shared today will you implement to help you navigate this season of life!