I know I am not alone when I say I often experience overwhelm. It is the NUMBER ONE obstacle we encounter when we start to stretch and grow.
We experience overwhelm because although we really, truly, sincerely, want to ADD COOL THINGS to our life, we really, truly, sincerely, DO NOT WANT TO SAY NO to the things we have to let go of in order to grow.
Spoiler alert: IT’s ALL GROWTH.
Overwhelm sneaks up on you in this order:
We decide to take a small steps in the direction of our dreams (YAY FOR US!)
We encounter some friction between who we were (before we started to stretch and grow) and who we are becoming now that we are committed to a bigger vision for our life.
We feel overwhelmed = confused, self-critical, critical of others.
You are experiencing Over Operational Syndrome.
You'll know when you've entered into over-operation when things like this start to happen:
1. Yelling at your dog🐶
3. Hysterical laughing jags😂 (followed by crying)
4. Hysterical crying jags😭 (no laughing, not funny)
5. Trouble sleeping😑
6. Trouble organizing your thoughts🤷🏼♂️
7. Road rage-y😠
8. Feel resentful!
9 Your schedule looks like a traffic jam on a summer Friday heading out of the City😳
10. Your child is still wants to visit colleges one week before decision day.🎓 Which happens to be same 7 days in which you have to submit your first-ever book to an editor.📕. Oh, wait, that's just me.
OOPs.
When you take on more - be ready to be challenged to LET GO of actual things (appointments, social engagements, unpaid work, carpooling, for example), expectations (What you think other people need) or assumptions (what you belief you need).
You will have to start testing the truth of all the things that keep you from actually MOVING TOWARD the new life you are creating.
Andy by doing all that testing and letting go - you will also be GROWING. (Yay again!)
Stretching into new territory can be thrilling, but it is also scary and messy at times.
Be on the look out for the ways in which you over-accomodate and over-function when you could be getting resourced, making requests and setting boundaries to make space for your own growth.
You aren’t doing anyone any favors by staying in OOPS really, because the result is crazy-making (see 1-9 above).