Feeling Overwhelmed? Try This Short Exercise

We all have ups and downs. I am currently digging my way out of a down. I have been feeling extremely OVERWHELMED.

I realized that one way to describe my overwhelm is that life just isn't fun right now. My usually fun and interesting day job feels like a chore. Creating content for Elena's Declutter (my favoritest thing ever) has become a huge burden because I don't have time to create the valuable content I am currently being inspired to create. All the wonderful friends and family in my life aren't helping to add fun right now because, well... I'm not making time for them.

It feels like a new realization, but I have known these things for a while. In order to have inner peace and find the joy (and fun) in my life, I have to do two main things: I have to embrace inner peace and I have to lower the unrealistically high expectations I have for myself. A valuable quote that I think embraces both these ideas, is something my mentor recently told me:

"I can't do everything, and it's actually better if I don't." - Erica Walter

I am going to start embracing this as my mantra. If you struggle with over-booking, over-working, and over-achieving, I challenge you to do the same.

Now, here is the short exercise I just did to embrace inner peace & lower my expectations of myself. Adjust as needed and do the steps that feel right for you:

Exercise for Overwhelm

1. Take a deep breath.

2. Sit up straight.

3. Journal for 5 min about the small wins I've made recently.

4. Breath deep and remember those small wins are actually not so small.

5. Embrace fully: "I can't do everything, and it's actually better if I don't." - Erica Walter

6. Write this mantra somewhere I will see it often.

7. Say to myself, "I have permission to lower my expectations of myself."

8. Journal for 5 min+ about the things I have permission to do. Aim low. (e.g. I have permission to buy food out if I don't feel like cooking.)

9. Pick 1-4 of the things I gave myself permission to do, and make a plan to do it. (e.g. Pick where I am going to buy premade food tonight.)

10. Remove things from my mental to do list (aka put them on paper).

11. Remove things from my physical to do list(s) that (a) weren't my responsibility in the first place, (b) are no longer relevant or important, (c) things I can live without doing for a while.

12. Look at my calendar and make it simpler, emptier, and more full of joy to the best of my ability right now.

13. Take a deep breath... and get on with my day.

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If you liked this exercise, here are some more "de-overwhelming" ideas & overarching concepts used in the exercise:

Embrace Inner Peace

• Accept your circumstances.

• Be present and only think about what you are doing in the moment,

• Enjoy simple pleasures.

• Take in your senses: taste, smell, sight, sound, and touch.

• Learn some simple breathing technics.

• Make taking deep breaths a habit.

• Meditate.

• Try out Yoga or another meditative physical practice.

• Surrender control & just be.

Lower Your Expectations

• Truly praise yourself for the small wins.

• Give yourself permission to have lower expectations.

• Take stuff off your to do list.

• Cut things out of your schedule.

• Make time for what you enjoy and for what you need.

Let me know in the comments which part of the exercise you found most helpful.