Ever experience so much overwhelm it seems like no matter what you do, you don’t make any progress?

As a born perfectionist and overachiever, I make it a regular habit of putting way too much on my plate. (It is a bit odd since I appreciate the simplicity in life more than words can describe!) I am that girl who will clear out all the crap in life, make things simple again. Then before you know it I will have 4 separate to-do lists going as well as 3 task systems on the computer and my phone. Having the innate gift for organizing can be a curse as much as it is a gift. There can be a lot of chaos in over organizing!

Sometimes, I just have to stop and take a step back. It’s like the master reset button when things start to get out of control and overwhelming. If I don’t I find myself super stressed out, unproductive, and physically sick. I won’t sleep well, I will get stomachaches, and my immune system, not sure where it goes, but it definitely doesn’t stick around in times of duress!

I joke and say that I have to break things down for myself at a second grade level, then keep it there. That keeps things simple. It keeps my oh-so-wild and idea filled mind at bay. It keeps my health in line, and my sanity in tact.

Sounds simple, right?

It’s almost embarrassing to admit, but sometimes… I have to put remedial things like “exercise”, “meditate”, even “shower” in my planner when life gets overwhelming. Shit, when I first got sober and my world was completely upside down, I would have to put wash my face and brush my teeth on there. I know myself. I know that if I have a lot on my schedule, the first thing that gets nudged off the ticket is me. Like, I said though, I am an overachiever so if I have to look at the fact that I haven’t taken the time to get active all day long, it will drive me nuts. If it is on there, I will do it. I have to check that box.

The thing is, overwhelm is simply the lack of a clear plan of action.

It is also a direct indication of lack of self-care.

There are a few core things that I know if I am doing them, they will be my umbrella if life throws me a shit-storm. If I am connecting with my higher purpose, exercising, planning out my day each morning, sleeping enough, and properly nourishing my body… then life can through some gnarly stuff my way and it’s all good. Everything stays in perspective.

Ever sleep in your car when it was below freezing outside? I have.

I can tell you when I let my life get out of hand and feel like it’s all about to come crashing down, former me would have given anything to have the life I stress over today. So why stress about it? Life is pretty damn fantastic when you step back and realize how silly 99% of the shit you worry about it really is. The 1%, well, if we aren’t running around chasing the illusion of the 99%, it is a lot easier to take that 1% head on.

So how exactly does one “step back” from that 99%?

• Make a list of everything you feel like you need to do. All of it.
• Take that list and put a star next to everything that will directly cause you to lose my home, family, etc if you don’t do it. (You get the idea, things that will legitimately damage your life if you don’t do). Those items you have to do.
• Check each item that you don’t want to do (even dread doing) or cause overwhelm.
• Rate the tasks you don’t want to do on a scale of 1-10, 1 being things that wouldn’t affect anything if you didn’t do them, 10 being things that you absolutely need to do. Anything that ranks below a 5 goes. Period.
• Anything on the list of what you don’t want to do or creates overwhelm that is a 5 or higher, look at what you can delegate and ask for help dammit!
• Look at what is left from the original list, see where it all aligns with when it needs to be done. Anything that you can do a month or so out, it goes on a separate list that you can revisit in a month or when you have more time.

At this point, things should look a lot more manageable and be a bit more into perspective. This system has single-handedly kept my butt active, centered, and focused on what is really important in my life. Usually the things that I am super stressed about end up being the details of details.

And if all else fails, ask yourself my favorite question in deciding anything, is this REALLY going to matter 5 years from now???

Life get’s crazy and overwhelming, it happens. It will happen again. The thing is, it doesn’t need to make you crazy in the process. It is truly a gift to stand cool, calm, and collected during times of chaos and see the hidden beauty in it, all while not being thrown off kilter. That is part of the reason that I created the 5 Day Mind-Body Detox. Sometimes we just need a little kick in the ass to remind us that we need to fill our own cup before we have any business filling the cups of others. If we don’t, we end up dried up and burnt out.
You deserve better than that!

If you are finding that you are overwhelmed and putting your health goals on the back burner, I have a special gift for you. My 20 Minute Rise & Rock You Morning toolbox is guaranteed to help you rock your day, all while taking care of you. You’ll get some guided meditation on, a little movement going, and get your ducks in a row for the day ahead.

You’d better grab it now since it won’t be free for long though.

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I’d much rather learn to dance in the rain than curse at the storm! Share your experience with “dancing in the rain” in the comments below!