It's Time To Overcome Overwhelm

Are you trying to find that ever-elusive idea of BALANCE?

Do you feel like a failure as you struggle to be a great mom?

Do you find yourself juggling everything in mediocrity and feeling like you're succeeding at very little?

Are you wondering how to maintain control of your out-of-control list of things to do?

MAYBE you are trying to find freedom from the feeling of overwhelm and feel stuck in the stress.

Well, my lovely Lead-Her, you are not alone.

Many women who strive to establish a business, further their career, or pursue a passion while juggling household responsibilities and family obligations often feel overburdened and stressed.

And honestly, it’s no wonder.

• We are still in a state of post-covid trauma,

• Kids have returned home for the summer,

• We are still trying to find that sacred space for quality time with Jesus,

• We are saying how much we need to start working out or eating right,

• We are trying to figure out how to get the kids to and from the camp, bible school, or other activities we have signed them up for (because they needed something to do while you worked)

• AND, We still have to plan dinner, get groceries, connect with the hubby, manage the home…

OH and did I mention, everyone expects you to be HAPPY ALL THE TIME.

Girlfriend, it’s a lot to navigate and it gets…well, OVERWHELMING.

Have you accepted the fact that this perpetual state of overwhelm is just the way life is?

Are you wondering if it’s even possible to break free from the ongoing cycle of overwhelm?

Well, hold on to your hat momma, I’m here to assure you it is possible!

In my younger years, as a single mom of four, I struggled all-the-time with feeling overwhelmed. It became a part of my everyday life. I even convinced myself that I was more productive when under the stress of having many things to do. I led myself to believe that I was AWESOME at multitasking. I gave up trying to overcome overwhelm, accepting the reality that it was how I needed to live my life.

Now be honest with me, does any of this sound familiar?

I know you want to believe this is true, that you accomplish more, and do it better under the gun, and maybe you believe there is no way to overcome the overwhelm of life…but, I’m here to tell you, it’s just not true.

Studies show that the cognitive impact of feeling perpetually overwhelmed can cause forgetfulness, confusion, and difficulty in concentrating, and can lead to an impaired ability to solve problems or think logically. In other words,

Living in a state of overwhelm hinders us from being our best, thinking clearly, showing up strong, LIVING, LEADING, & LOVING from an internal place of thriving.

Living in overwhelm by its very nature,

causes more overwhelm,

and makes us miserable.

How can we find freedom from the constant state of overwhelm and true relief for our weary souls??

Well, if you are ready, I mean...REALLY READY...Read on. Let's get our feet on the right path together and get out of the chaos and crazy of overwhelm (one step at a time.)

RECOGNIZE AND ACKNOWLEDGE THE OVERWHELM: The first step is to be aware and acknowledge that you are feeling overwhelmed.

We get so used to living in a state of overwhelm that we don't even realize we are there. We’ve accepted it as normal and our soul lives in misery. By acknowledging it, you are taking the first step toward making a change. Come on…say it with me. “I’m completely overwhelmed with life, can someone just make everything STOP. I NEED to find a better way.” Now if you have taken that FIRST BRAVE STEP, you might want to join me on the journey to freedom from feeling overwhelmed. Just click here to JOIN THE JOURNEY.

TAKE INVENTORY OF YOUR TIME

To regain control over our time and emotional energy and avoid feeling overwhelmed, we must begin to understand how we are spending our time. This knowledge will help break the cycle of constantly feeling drained and stressed. Understanding how we allocate our time can give us the power to start making wiser decisions.

To help you in this journey, I’ve created a simple 7-Day Template Time Tracker Tool. This is the first part of my Overcome Overwhelm Roadmap | Live, Lead, & Love FREE from the Mess of Stress. But you know what? In order to keep you from being OVERWHELMED, I'm going to give this comprehensive guide to you in BITE-SIZED- PIECES. Download the Time Tracker Tool, then wait for each new section to show up in your inbox for the next 5 weeks.

We are going to take this journey SLOWLY,

we are going to do it TOGETHER,

and we are going to CELEBRATE along the way.

When I begin to become fed up with feeling overwhelmed, crabby, and stressed I have learned to assess how I'm spending my time. I learned the value of a time audit years ago when I was experiencing all of this in an ongoing way. I just wasn't happy and so discouraged with myself. At the recommendation of a friend, I decided to do a time audit. I have to admit, it wasn't fun. I discovered some not-so-great things about myself in the process.

1. I wasn’t getting the sleep I convinced myself I was. I was staying up 1-2 hours later than I thought because I took my computer to bed with me. I mean, I literally had myself believing I was getting 6-7 hours of sleep a night. But when I got real with myself, it was easy to see why I was always tired and less than my best.

2. I also discovered that I was not as spiritual as I led myself to believe. Instead of spending time with the Father in the morning, I would think of someone and shoot them a text to let them know they were in my prayers (oh I’m so spiritual). Typically they would respond with their prayer needs, I would ASSURE them that I was praying, and most of the time even TEXT a long prayer back to them.

A time audit is an effective tool that can help you identify some unnecessary activities and those that do not contribute to your overall well-being or enhance your connections with the people who matter most.

PINPOINT THE CAUSE

The next important step is to determine the main cause of the overwhelm. And guess what, I have a wonderful little tool to help you, encourage you, and give you a space to write down your thoughts.

Start by asking yourself the question, “What one or two things if taken off my plate would alleviate 80% of the stress that I feel right now?”

OK, WAIT, WAIT...Don't run away. HEAR ME OUT

When my kiddos were younger, I found myself overcommitted, stressed, and frustrated most of the time. With the activities of 4 children, I met myself coming and going. There was always somewhere else to be or something else to do. After taking time to assess the cause of my stress (running here and there so my kids could develop their areas of interest and giftedness), I could begin to take small steps to help alleviate the feelings of frustration and stress.

• I began to ask for help with rides to practices.

• Each child was limited in the number of activities they could participate in.

• We re-incorporated family meetings and regular family mealtimes to ensure everyone stayed connected.

I wanted my kids to have opportunities to grow and develop in the areas of interest they each had, but it was a BIG ROCK and contributed greatly to my feeling of overwhelm. However, by pinpointing the actual cause of overwhelm, I was able to find a solution that empowered me to be a kinder mom. WIN, WIN.

Seriously, there are some BIG ROCKS here.

Now Momma, don't panic. I'm not asking you to REMOVE THESE ROCKS, only identify them.

OK, you can breathe now.

Remember, every journey begins with a single step. We may only be at the start of ours, but we will overcome one day at a time. Take these next days to reflect on how you spend your time, and soon I will provide the next steps towards pinpointing the cause. (by downloading the Time Tracker Tool, you will automatically be set up to receive the next steps toward finding the freedom from overwhelm that you long for.)

Keep up the great work!

Don't forget, I am here to help.

Just shoot me an email if you are struggling with getting started, stumbling over the obstacles, or stuck in the trenches of overwhelm.

Let's get on the right ROAD TO FREEDOM.

Check back with me NEXT WEEK when we will move further down the road, gain a little momentum, and find our way to a lifestyle free from the perpetual state of overwhelm.