Overwhelmed? Get Unstuck In Three Easy Steps

You are feeling stuck. Overwhelmed. Maybe even paralyzed. Get pen and paper. We are about to get you moving again!

Chances are there is an item or two that’s slowing you down. Think of it like water going down the drain. When there’s no residue the water flows easily. But, when one messy thing gets stuck, let’s say a small clump of hair, other items that would easily flow start getting caught in the hair. The clump starts growing, the water keeps slowing until … it gets blocked.

We are the same. Think about it: You have “something” that clogs your drain. This “something” becomes consuming and as a result everything else slows down. Before you know it you are stuck.

I was reminded of this just this morning. I like a tidy home, but there were dishes in the sink, clean laundry on the chair, yesterday’s groceries still in bags, and plants getting droopy. I was feeling overwhelmed and didn’t know where to start. All I could think about were bagels. These are the tell-tale signs that I had a hairball stuck in the drain. As I reached for my laptop yet again to check email and look at Facebook for “work” I thought, “okay, what’s going on here?”

Realize this: Everything is connected.

Everything. Have you ever noticed that when you feel great about something, everything else feels pretty great too? Same thing. When one thing is out of whack, other areas start to feel out of whack too. To get unstuck we need just a little bit of progress. Effect change in one area, something else will move too. I’ll bet on it (and I’m not the betting type)!

Have your pen and paper handy? Here we go.

Three Easy Steps To Start Moving Again:

1. Identity what’s clogging your drain.

I had been putting off an uncomfortable financial conversation with a rather unsavory person. Over the course of several days everything else started to feel “heavy” too. My work, which I love, felt overwhelming. I started questioning my relationship (how could he possibly love someone like me?). My daily tasks, like cleaning, putting away groceries and my laundry felt burdensome. Oh, and then there’s the emotional eating associated with it all. It’s contagious! Really. So, what is the one (or two) big thing/s creating a clog in your drain?

2. Write down three things to accomplish today.

One will be some small step toward resolving the main “hairball.” The other two are unrelated but will put you in motion.

For example, my three things were:

find the financial documents needed to address the issue in a meaningful way

make a work-related appointment

clean off my kitchen counter

3. Schedule the time you do these things. Keep your word to yourself. Do them.

That’s it. It’s just that easy. You will find that once you are “in action” you will complete more than you scheduled. Once I cleaned off my kitchen counter I put all the groceries away, started the dishwasher and cleaned the sink. Once I made the work-related appointment I wrote this blog. And, the “hairball?” I found the financial documents and have them ready for tomorrow’s “small step.” (There’s a trick here that I’ll share with you in my next blog. Promise!) Like I said, it’s all connected. Move in one area and the others move too. Follow these steps and you’ll be on the move again in a matter of moments. Ready? Go!

About the author: Melissa Rapoport is a Health Counselor. She combines her passion for healthy living and her background in psychology to guide others to successfully nourish their bodies and their lives. Melissa works with individuals, groups and also conducts workshops. To learn more about Melissa’s practice, or to sign up for a free consultation, click here www.melissarapoport.com.

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