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Moving Out Of Overwhelm

Throughout COVID I’ve been providing support to business owners who have been experiencing overwhelm and heightened stress brought on by the uncertainty of whether they will be able to sustain their business.

It’s quite often the ‘unknown’ that causes anxiety and stress and the amount of time people are focussing their thoughts on things they have no control over. When people are in a state of stress, they are operating in fight/flight/freeze mode, which is exhausting and also inhibits your ability to think clearly.

 

So here are some areas I get clients focussing on to help give them a sense of calm, and restore clarity of thought:

  1. Perspective: It’s amazing how our state can change immediately when we reframe what’s going on and see it from a different perspective. One phrase that I love to use comes from Matt Kahn: “if it was meant to be any other way, it would have.” It just seems to give me a sense of acceptance and then I’m able to let go of what’s stressing me and open my mind to some new thoughts.
  2. Visualisation: I think of the time I played my son’s virtual reality game. I put on the goggles and was transported up into a tree house, with a beautiful view of a jungle, and felt instantly relaxed. So think about how you want things to be, and spend some time each day visualising it. You’ll be amazed at what starts to show up in our life that’s congruent with your vision, plus it will put you in a good feeling state.
  3. Language: I know when things aren’t going well we need to download sometimes. However give yourself a time limit and then move on. Our language has a direct impact on our emotions, and then what action we take, and what results we get.
  4. Control: Make a list of what you’re worried about and then cross off all the things that are out of your control and let go of them. Then take responsibility to do something about what’s left on the list – don’t blame others, have a look at what you can do.
  5. Breath: Quite often when we feel overwhelmed our breathe is very shallow, which then depletes oxygen to the brain and impacts other functions, including detoxing the body. Use the 4 x 4 x 4 x 4 technique: inhale for 4, hold for 4, exhale for 4, hold for 4. Do this a few times and see how you feel.
  6. Nurture in Nature: My go-to place when I’m stressed is the beach. There’s something to be said for getting out in the fresh air and grounding yourself in nature. Walk in the water, on the grass, sit under a tree, get some sunshine. Stress seems to melt away when you’re outdoors.
  7. Animals: Can be such a huge stress relief, and help us to shift the focus from us onto something else.

If you’re finding your in a state of overwhelm or stress in your career, you might want to take a career health quiz here:

(Remember to get your copy of Careers Awakening: How To Align Your Career With Your Soul Purpose here.)

 

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