Navigating the Noise of Overwhelm

Six tips to reset and renew when life feels like too much

Feeling blue? | ©Pegge

Dear Pegge,

How do you navigate over-commitment and falling behind with personal and professional projects and responsibilities when fatigue hits and more urgent or time sensitive demands come up? I’m behind, again, and sometimes mentally beat myself up and judge myself when this happens. I understand prioritizing and time management yet I’m in a time in my life when there’s so much. Any ideas to help me stay centered and present, or get me back on track?

--Sincerely Struggling

Didn’t see that mud hole #openthepresent | ©Pegge

Dear Sincerely Struggling,

First off, I understand your predicament. I too over-commit, even as I am careful, not careless, with my “yes,” “no,” and frequency of responses to activities. I do my best to be intentional and thoughtful, respecting my energy and rhythm of life, foundations, and responsibilities. That said, the overwhelm can and does occur—and often—in particular times and seasons of life. I too am experiencing this now, with so many global events added in, election season in the United States, natural disasters, and additional personal life aspects, some chosen, some not. It is time for new resolve and a reset for me and maybe you, as we deepen into autumn in the northern hemisphere. More than ever, I need to “open the present” time, however it shows up, in order to embrace it, befriend it, and shift it.

Dear Wind, I see what you did there … | ©Pegge

Six Tips

In this new season of autumn, I’m deepening into these helpful tips I’ve developed over years, and still return to. Perhaps they can assist you too!

1. Ask and you shall receive (the “ask” part of Matthew 7:7-8 is very relevant to me now—I’ve been forgetting to do this! A first step is to acknowledge and identify what we need)

2. Braving – can I trust myself? (I’ve been working with this all year, an iteration inspired from Brené Brown in her book Braving the Wilderness together with a therapist I’ve worked with this year)

3. Foundations: Sleep; H2O (hydration); Movement; Nourishment (food and meal prep); Reflective time (prayer and meditation or mindfulness—contemplation); Presence (to self and for others)

4. Leisure and Play to disrupt and delight (this is an important foundation and the most neglected for me, so it has its own emphasis)

5. Disrupt the Gaps: identify the patterns, beliefs, thoughts, and blind spots that are consistent and may be contributing to create a limiting current reality that is part of a downward spiral—thus there is an opportunity and need to dust, discard, shift, let go, reset

6. Honest assessment of time and energy (where is our “yes” and “no” invested or squandered?)

These areas are at the top of my awareness today, and throughout October I will describe each one more specifically. I’m curious, which of these six ideas catches your interest to explore, or evokes a sense of “nope, not going there, yet.” Kindly share in a comment so we can learn from each other.

And today, also consider…

What action can assist you to be gentler with yourself when you struggle with the stress of overwhelm and too much?

You could choose something as simple as my current practice this morning:

Sit with your ankles crossed …
tongue-tip pressing against the roof of your mouth…
arms either crossed at wrists with fingers interlaced or crisscrossed to opposite shoulder with fingers gently tapping your shoulder or resting to give yourself a hug.

Breathe for a minute or more in this position, with a soft gaze to the space you inhabit, and notice how your body feels in this space.

Focus especially on your inbreath, through your nose.

When you feel ready or when you must move-on, take a big breath, give a wiggle to your hands, toes, hips, shoulders, neck, and your entire body.

Choose something you are thankful for, then acknowledge this in the quiet of your mind and heart, or aloud, or write it down!

Unexpected Northern Light delight, River Raven Sanctuary lodge deck, along the Kenai River, Alaska | ©Pegge, October 2024

From my sanctuary space at my lodge along the river, I stream light and love to you and all who experience overwhelm, struggle, self-doubt, and self-judgment.

Kindly trust that there is a healthy path for you that will create life-giving transformational change. Together we can open the present, however life shows up.

Love,
Pegge

PS: To ask your “Dear Pegge” question for a future post, become a free or paid subscriber, and either email Pegge@openthepresent.com or post your question in the comments.