If you are a Life Junkie – having plenty ideas, dreams and expectations – you will know this feeling of being overwhelmed all too well, right? Too many ideas, thoughts and to do’s on your list – making you nervous and looking for ways to stop feeling overwhelmed!
Yeeeesss, it would be important to be more relaxed … but how the fuck with all these tasks, ideas and thoughts?
I confess: I used to be overwhelmed so many times and to be honest till today it’s sometimes a challenge to stay focused and relaxed when 1 million ideas and thoughts put my brain on fire. However, over the years I got better and learnt good things that help me and my clients! If you want to, I share them with you (all you have to do is keep brea-, ehm, reading).
So you are looking for short ways to stop feeling overwhelmed and stuck in seconds? Here you go:
A powerful, first emergency step if you are in a stuck state due to an overwhelming moment:
Take a deep breath. (Really, I am serious).
And another one.
Exhale twice as long as you inhale – don’t think, just do it.
There is nothing that brings you back to yourself faster than using consciously your breath.
Good news? You can breathe whenever and wherever you are! Just a couple of minutes will help you release your stress suddenly.
Or are you trapped feeling overwhelmed in life & your daily grind?
If feeling overwhelmed is not just a random thing for you and feeling stressed is kind of your daily thing, it’s time to push the stop button.
NOW.
Push STOP.
You deserve better, right?
So, what can you do when your second name is overwhelmed and life (or your idea about it) is often too much for you?
Let’s check how you can change this ongoing state of being overwhelmed by identifying the root cause instead of only applying quick fixes (nothing against quick fixes like the exercise earlier – they are very powerful. However, prevention is better than cure – it often needs less energy and comes at a lower cost if you do not only cure the symptoms but grab the bull by its horns).
The following questions give you inputs to think about what you might want to change. The hints are powerful to reset your current stress level and help you to be fit for living life joyfully in your zone of happiness.
Dream BIG & Act in LITTLE Steps
Are you feeling overwhelmed because you are having lots on your plate and your goals seem to be too big (hence unachievable)? Big Goals are awesome! But if you don’t break them down in chewable and doable Baby goals, or you’ll just feel overwhelmed and thus stuck. Do a list and just go for the things you have to do right now. Focus always on the now and your present step toward your goal. Remember: Action happens in the now. Right now. And every action counts.
Celebrate!
When we are overwhelmed we often miss and forget what we have already achieved, as our focus is always on what is not done yet or on what didn’t happen so far. This is really frustrating for ourselves and after a while we are just losing interest in it. Sounds familiar? Normal! Our system is very hedonistic: Why the heck shall I put so much effort in something that doesn’t seem to bring me back any joy, satisfaction or any other good juicy-full stuff?
Trick your brain and celebrate your little successes on the road toward your zone of happiness. Your self-confidence will grow with each celebration and your cup of energy will be refilled each time. This way it’s easier to stay motivated and on track. Meaning work hard, but also party hard!
Whatever „party“ does mean to you – do it your way. I am sure you know best how you can celebrate and reward your little successes but just in case you are missing ideas, here a few nice ones:
Do it like the soccer player: Do a happy dance each time you achieve a Baby goal – this will become an empowering ritual that kicks the happy hormones in you (and puts a smile on your face and the faces of the people around you – this is never bad).
Give yourself a treat: A hot bath, this yummy ice cream, get your nails or hair done, buy something, go for a day trip, have a few hours off, go for a beautiful walk … whatever makes you happy is the right thing!
Be smart – integrate your body intelligence
As seen in the breathing-exercise your body is strongly reacting to your inner stress. Your body is sending you signals – learn to listen and integrate them to realize early enough that you are about to be overwhelmed again. Signals could be like: having this pressure in your neck; or this narrowing feeling in your chest. Learn to understand it and respect it.
Prevention is always better than cure.
You can train to integrate this body intelligence for example when you are working out. Do sports consciously – not sitting on a bike reading and watching TV. You need to be 100% present in your workout. How do you feel during the workout? What kind of movements do feel good in your body – go for joyful moving. You only do sports for getting in shape? poor body! start to dance just for the joy of it. You will get fitter by the way.
Start exploring your body in a new way – like when you were a child. It will honour you with being your most loyal buddy and awesome sauce translator of your inner subconscious state. It will help you to realize at the right time what you really need and to offer you the possibility to empower yourself.
Live in the NOW
We all tend to worry too much about our future. We are here but we already think about what we will do tomorrow, the next week and thus we often miss the magic and power of the now. Sure thing, as a Life Junkie with lots of responsibilities you need to plan and coordinate. But when planned and everything set up, remind yourself about the now. This precious moment. Precious as it won’t come back. Just read this blogpost. Don’t do anything else at the same time. Realize how my words make you feel right now. And what are your thoughts? Awareness brings us more gratitude and focus and in return decreases our stress-level.
But it’s not only the thoughts about the future limiting our now-experience. We also tend to be caught up in experiences and relationships we had in the past. Become aware of your emotional trigger points and your mental pattern limiting you from truly living life in your zone of happiness. Like Henry Ford said: “If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always got.” Stop this self-fulfilling prophecy, become aware of your blind spots and get over them as soon as possible. Life is too short for that bullshit.
Laugh, Laugh, Laugh!
When did you LOL the last time – in real time not as an emoticon?
Bring humour into your daily grind – it makes life so much more colourful. And it’s maybe the fastest way to bring a distance to your problem. Don’t take yourself and life too serious – the only dead serious thing? We all gonna die. So, let’s make sure we enjoy the ride till then! How can you make your daily grind more joyful? Where are chances for a good laugh? Go and take them! It might be watching a very funny movie. Or going out with this funny friend. Or hang around with the little kids – they are pure joy and they laugh so often every day – get infected! Check what makes you feel excited like a little child? And then go for it and do it more often!
First Things first
We tend to rush to the urgent stuff first instead being focused on the important stuff. My mantra: First things first.
This means ask yourself: What is truly important for me? Does this task, relationship or situation serve me and my goals? Is this truly important for me? Is it coherent with my values? To my personal own wows?
You don’t know your WOWs? You ain’t sure about what’s truly important for you? Time for the 3 basic steps of living life in your zone of happiness:
- Build your base that truly matches you. Ask yourself what you really need and want in your life.
- Then go for your way – not the one others are telling you to go – as this is the right one for you.
- And finally keep up the good work – Rome wasn’t built in a day either – give yourself time and use this time wisely! Want to know more about the powerful 3 steps toward your zone of happiness?
Click here to enter the free webinar and learn more about why it’s so important to be aware of your now and your wow and how you get the right shit done.
