The other day I caught myself in a blank stare at my computer. This was one of those stares that started as a moment of deep thought and somehow somewhere along the way turned into a completely blank abyss. At the moment I came out of it I felt rattled, saying to myself, “What are you doing? HELLO? See this to-do list? It’s not getting any shorter!”
Instant overwhelm.
I’m guessing you’ve had moments of overwhelm, too.
Well, my friend, after awakening from my who-knows-how-long of a pause of pure nothingness instead of reaching for the previous conversation with myself, I reached in my proverbial back pocket and pulled out the 5 cards that I use for moments just like these. You can think of them as tips, hacks, or tricks, but I’ll just call them cards.
The Cards
- Permission
- Team
- Gratitude
- Grace
- The High Five
I took a scan of these 5 gems and grabbed for grace. Me talking to me (again!), “Give yourself grace! You freakin’ deserve a lunch break & chill moment … away from your computer!”
These grace cards aren’t mine alone. Here’s how you can use them whenever you start to feel overwhelmed, overloaded, or in need of some self-care.
The Permission Card
Use when you are all-out exhausted but subconsciously feel completely guilty chillin’ on the couch, watching tv with a full glass of wine after a 10 hour day.
There’s always that little voice that says “this is only acceptable with a computer in my lap, you can do more.”
NO!
Redirect my well-intentioned friend. Pull that card and give yourself permission to enjoy this rest. Really … I’m telling you, lavish in this pause.
The Team Card
We like to ignore this card because we think we can do it better. Use this card when you are starting to feel overwhelmed and you are drowning in things to do and can’t seem to focus.
Pull the card.
We all know you can do the job, and we admire that. But even more admirable is someone who sets boundaries and inspires us to live well ourselves. To make this card easier to lean on, source a solid team. Whether it’s a work team and you delegate to your most trusted colleagues, or simply a friend you can call to talk out the task at hand and get a fresh perspective. Your team is in your corner and we’re all rootin’ for you.
The Grace Card
There she is! The card that allows for a couple of seconds to take a deep breath and regroup. Give yourself grace. You are a multifaceted human and you have a lot going on!
When you give yourself grace, so will others. Please do not misunderstand here, this isn’t a hall pass to slack off, but this is a gentle reminder that it is going to be alright. This is the card that reminds you to slow down (if even for a moment) and take a long inhale and a full well-rounded “let that stuff go.” When the feeling of speed, long to-do lists, and no time in the day to get it all done creeps in, Breathe my friend, SLOWER! .. and give yourself grace.
The Gratitude Card
This card is all about mind over matter. We all know what is not going right in the time of overwhelm, but it is an art to form a new thought pattern and redirect to gratitude. When we start to become overwhelmed it is natural for us to start dissecting the problem. We were trained to find solutions! Acknowledge the matter and redirect to gratitude over dissection. Take 2 seconds to view it as an abundance of opportunity. When feelings of overwhelm start to swell, pull this card and, if you’re still feeling uneasy, call on your team.
The High Five Card
Who doesn’t need a high five? When overwhelm kicks in and you reach into your proverbial back pocket, I hope you pull this card out and celebrate the mere fact that you showed up. Hey! If you scored a small win and are feeling some relief in that I still hope you reach in your back pocket for the high five and celebrate you! You, my friend, work hard. You show up. You push through and you freakin’ deserve this card! Let me be the first to give you THIS virtual high five and tell you, YOU ARE AWESOME! With that, don’t hesitate to do this for yourself.
These 5 cards are yours to keep and yours to share. Use these cards frequently to overcome your feelings of overwhelm and to give yourself more grace when you need it.
Jessica Hendry is a Wellness Leader, Barre Instructor, 500 RYT, and the Founder of Honey Bee Sweat Virtual Barre & Wellness Studio. She specializes in empowering people while honoring their career, lifestyle, and mental health. Sign up for her free ebook and monthly tips at https://www.honeybeesweat.com.
