One of the definitions of overwhelm is being buried or drowned beneath a huge mass.
Feel familiar?
My particular brand of overwhelm is more like ... suffocating skin crawling madness. I used to be the mistress of overwhelm. The discomfort was intense and yet there was a rush involved with pulling off what felt impossible. It took years to get acquainted with the damage ripple caused by all of the needless stress.
The good news is you can learn to minimize this paralyzing feeling by facing what's going on and taking action; like a gymnast on a balance beam, taking one step sure step after the other.
Sure steps with a Go ... Be ... Flow ... attitude.
Most of the solopreneurs and entrepreneurs I play with are passionate, talented and risk averse people who are really good at what I like to call, connecting the dots. Their ability to coordinate ideas, people, places, projects and synergistic energy is astounding. Their keen sense of knowing combined with pure unbridled feeling manifests great opportunities.
These fine characteristics and what seem like unlimited opportunities can be distracting.
Why?
Because people of this caliber can do ANYTHING.
Connecting the dots is a blessing if the entrepreneur is conscious enough to apply her connectivity talent to her own "in the weeds" life situation.
A HA!
Learning to go with the flow is a tremendous kick in the pants. Of course it helps to be head long into "The Power of Now" by Eckhart Tolle as I'm keying this post.
Practice moving through life with grace and clobber overwhelm by incorporating some these ideas:
1. Take deliberate action a by choosing and revisiting your priorities every week. A list of targeted activities will help you remain on your quest.
2. Carry out extreme self-care. This may mean taking time out to get a haircut, massage or a soak in the bath tub. Take some alone time to read a good book, take a walk and get out of your head.
3. Visualize your ideal accomplishment, and then make a list of tasks that can be addressed to bridge and traverse where you want to be in the natural flow of things.
4. Determine what projects you can delegate. Asking for help is freeing.
5. Eliminate any unnecessary tasks and activities. Do what you absolutely must, and junk what isn't an absolute necessity. Allow yourself to say NO.
6. Give yourself credit for all the things you DO complete.
7. Talk to a trusted friend, life coach or mentor. Get clarity by being with people who you admire, who are good at managing stress.
The next time you are feeling overcome with a sense of impending doom, take
a deep breath, gather your thoughts and let the clobbering begin.
Action Cures Fear !
For 16 years, Shann Vander Leek has inspired sales professionals and entrepreneurs. Telephone and email consultations make her accessible to clients all over the world. Please visit http://www.truebalancelifecoaching.com to sign up for a complimentary E-Zine delivered to your inbox every month.