You’ve been there, right?
The crippling feeling of overwhelm. That moment when you can’t even get one thing done because there is just so much to do.
I’ve been there. I’ve felt it. Especially right before traveling, meeting a work deadline, or throwing my son an unforgettable birthday party (um, too personally specific?). Stressed, thinking to myself, “if only I had one more day…”
Responsibilities build up and overwhelm takes over.
It is pretty simple. Yet it isn’t the direction most of us want to go.
Breaking out of a cycle is hard, but the best thing to do when feeling overwhelmed is to think of what we do want in life.
When we put our attention or focus on how much there is to do, and how crippling it feels to accomplish anything, that’s what we attract, more to-dos for the list.
So we put our focus and attention on what we do want in life. This can be hard for some people, but you must be specific in what you want.
How do I know what I even want?
A powerful exercise to help you get clear on what you want is to write out a perfect day. Imagine not a few years in the future, but one month from now, or even next week. Write out what happens from the moment you wake up until the moment you go to sleep.
As you describe your day, be specific in how you are feeling. Describe your emotions and what you see around you. And be sure to keep your language in positive terms. For example, rather than say I wake up without a long to-do list, say, I wake up refreshed, and feel excited to accomplish my tasks.
With Law of Attraction, the universe doesn’t hear negative words, as in the “without” above. It just hears “I wake up with a long to-do list” — so be sure to state everything in the positive.
The first time you write out your perfect day, you might get stuck on how long it should be or how detailed to make it. Just start writing and see where the exercise takes you. Then revisit the exercise tomorrow, or in a couple days, or next week, or every day.
If you put your focus on being happy, for example, and you train yourself to think of your happy place at least 10 times a day, your brain will recognize you are happy. So this is how we control our own emotions.
If you are stuck really deeply, I know it can sound ridiculous to just wish away negative feelings, especially when we’ve been hurt.
As you get clear on what you want, know that you can achieve it — and by it, I mean anything. Keep your thoughts positive and gratitude free flowing.
Keep thinking positively, and when overwhelm is really bad, take a deep breath, make a list of the top 5 things you have to accomplish, and do them one-by-one. Even if it is “late.” Then take stock in what you achieved, however “small” it might appear.
Creating a journal to practice the perfect day exercise repeatedly will help you get clearer on how to bring positive thoughts and emotions into your daily life.
Overwhelm happens, but how we react to it is the key. Maintain positive awareness and keep your alarm set for happy.