STRESS & ANXIETY MANAGEMENT
4 Tips for Releasing Overwhelm and Finding Daily Fulfillment
Implement and practice these four steps today and see how much of a difference they make!
We’ve all been through a lot and some more than others, but no matter how insane your year has or has not been, it’s always a good idea to take stock of your life regularly, including daily stock of your mental health and well-being. Personally, I find myself doing more rather than just feeling-my-feelings, thanks to my highly functional anxiety. I am goal-oriented and can get lost in a plan without taking a moment to check in with myself at least once each day –– and I know I’m not the only one.
I live with Generalized Anxiety Disorder, as do over 6.8 million other adults, according to the Anxiety & Depression Association of America. This says nothing about the millions of Americans who suffer from other forms of anxiety, as well as those living with many different forms of depression. The point is, a lot of us were already having a hard enough time making it through our days before the presidential and pandemic scourge of 2020.
These days, feeling overwhelmed, and unfulfilled seems to be more common. Thankfully, people are more vocal about these feelings to assimilate and connect with others during a time of social distancing. That being said, I’d like to share four strategies I use to help ease my overwhelm, complete tasks and goals, and feel more fulfilled.
Keep it simple, stupid.
K.I.S.S. is a quick reminder to stop overthinking and overcomplicating things. No matter how much has to be done as a whole, I write only three (3) tasks on my daily to-do list each day. Once I have completed the list, and if I have the time, energy, and wherewithal, I add one more item and repeat.
Doing this allows me to stay focused on one task at a time and seeing it through to completion before moving onto the next. With just a few items on my list, I don’t feel overwhelmed nor do I feel the need to rush. I can take my time, compartmentalize, focus, and see things through.
By keeping my days simple, I honor my limitations and respect the fact that I can have it all, but not all at once. Plus, I can’t give 100% to more than one thing at a time. It’s simple math, really, and math is always right.
Let life do its job.
I can only do what I can do. Once I’ve done my work, it’s important for me to put my pencil down, to let life do what it does, and know that this takes time. Trying to rush my way through my day or my life only creates more overwhelm, anxiety, stress, and eventually, depression. To make my life easier, I have learned to go with the flow, to trust the universe and The Most High, and to lean on my faith. After all, faith and fear cannot exist in the same place at the same time.
Set it up and step it up.
Each night before bed, I set an overall goal for the next day. This intention is an umbrella under which I list smaller, actionable steps that help me reach the overall goal. Essentially, I have a plan set and planned steps. As I mentioned earlier, those steps are minimal. Plans are nothing without follow-through, and this is where most of us fall short. With simple daily lists of just a few tasks, my chances of following through are exponentially heightened.
Make it a mantra.
My coaching clients and fans of The Gorgeous Girl’s Guide know how much a love mantras. In fact, I have created and amassed enough of them to use in nearly every possible situation. Plus, when I come upon a moment in time that really needs one, but I don’t have one already set, I create a mantra all my own, write it down and add it to my revolving index of these helpful quips. As you can see in the text above, I have emboldened the mantras I’ve planted in this article. If you are a client or subscriber at The G3 and already have a copy of The Gorgeous Girl’s Guide to a Life Well-Lived, you’ll find thirty (30) of my favorites inside the book. If you don’t have a copy just yet, check out the article below for a preview of the mantras used.
