The Overwhelm Plan
Hello friends!
You know, today has been glorious. Boston spring is in full bloom and I took my work up to the roof for the day! Ahhh the beauty of working from home. Do I say that too much? 
I truly do feel blessed and fortunate. To work from home, doing what makes me smile the minute I wake up, to do it in a way where I am able to control what I do, how I do it and when- that is an incredible thing! But scary at the same time.
With control comes responsibility. My days are up to ME. What I do with my time, how I decide to schedule my day, what I decide to accomplish- yep, it all comes down to me! It's been a very interesting experience these last months.
Prior to November, I've always had a boss. I've always had someone who expected me at work by 9 and then said go home at 5. I was always meeting someone else's expectations. Have I always had my own expectations for my work behavior and ethic- of course! But now that I am here on my own, starting a coach practice, running a fitness business- I decide EVERYTHING!
At first I was ecstatic. I was so excited at the prospect of starting my own business, completing my wellness coaching program, focusing on my Beachbody business. I woke up giddy! The first few months I got out of bed and immediately worked. I started on whatever task first came to mind. I was juggling alot at once but I didn't care- I was happy for the first time all day long. I would still be at the kitchen table at 8pm researching, reading, working, exploring, learning.
And then about a month ago, I noticed a change in my energy. I was moving slower in the mornings, I stopped working earlier, I was checking less things off of my list. What was going on? Why was I feeling so "off?"
After many conversations with a dear friend and my life coach we came to a very simple conclusion: OVERWHELM. I was overwhelmed with all of these incredible things I had set out to do. I had completed my wellness coaching training, my business was moving forward, my blog is being redesigned, friends were talking, things were happening. And here I was scared, unsure, and overwhelmed. And to take it a step further- I was beating myself up about it all day long.
My approach and style with this blog has been open, honest and real. So I thought I should be real with you today friends and talk about this experience because I know we all can relate and yet we rarely know how to deal with it.
Overwhelm, fear, uncertainty, lack of confidence can be paralyzing. It can stop you in your tracks. It can turn you into a procrastinator and the hardest part- it can tear down your belief in yourself.
So, after a wonderful meeting with my life coach yesterday I have a plan. I have a surge of new energy and now, more than ever, I believe that I will do everything in this world that I want to (no, my coach didn't slip me something happy in my tea). We came up with some very simple strategies that are helping me attack the overwhelm and take steps forward.
These ideas can be applied to any situation, big or small in any part of your life.
The overwhelm plan
1. Dream your vision and then map it. Take some time to write out exactly what it is that you want! Whether it is a specific goal or a life dream- write out the details. As I've said before, give your vision and your goals LIFE! Now, map it out.
- Take a piece of paper and write your name in the middle. Draw a circle around it.
- Draw a line straight out from your name and write down a goal or piece of your vision at the end of the line (for example, are you looking to get a new job? One area of your vision may be "job research")
- Draw as many lines as you need to include the areas of your life you want to change, improve or grow.
2. Prioritize. Decide what is most important to you RIGHT NOW. We can't do it all at once! So, pick your top three priorities and then make the decision that you will focus your energy on them.
3. Commit. Take your time with this step. The key to success and attaining your goals is making the commitment that you want it! And then recommit as often as you need. Some weeks I recommit to a particular goal every single day. It keeps the goal in the forefront of my mind. It keeps me focused.
4. Schedule. When do you have the time to devote to these priorities? When will it happen. Be specific. Be realistic.
5. Start right now. Begin today, not tomorrow. Begin with a simple step or action but don't wait another day.
My final piece of advice is to keep it simple. So much of overwhelm comes from a place of assumption. We assume that all parts of success take big action, commitment, time, and energy. While some things will take big-ness, it all starts with something small. Change can start small. Learning can be small. What matters is that you DO!
So, I hope you found the overwhelm plan useful. Today's post was unexpected- but I love those kinds!
Till next time!
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