Tag: overwhelm

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Focus Friday: Let’s Focus on Being Kind

I don’t have time to write this week’s blog post.

But I’m going to write it anyway because I’m hoping it will help me feel better.

See, I’ve worked myself into a state of overwhelm once again.

I’m leaving this afternoon to go help with a youth retreat that lasts until Sunday evening. I have a few things to do in preparation for that, but I also have some things that must get done here at home. And then next weekend I’m going to a writers conference out in California and there are things I want to get done before I leave for that.

I feel a bit shaky, and I can get close to tears when I think about everything all at once. (Oh, let’s be honest, I have cried several times this week!) Even more frustrating is my tendency to spin in procrastination and stress when I feel this way, and then nothing gets done.

Cue the negative self-talk: You always do this! You’ve known about both of these events (and everything else you have to do) for months…why didn’t you work on them when you had more time? I’m never going to amount to anything if I can’t get things done.

So it’s Thursday morning as I write this, and I’m hoping that if I focus on being kind it might change my mindset and my ambition.

I’ve been thinking about the students who are coming to participate in the retreat this weekend. Many of them may be feeling like me. The ones who are attending have no idea what’s going to happen and there may be lots of anxiety there as they wonder what they’ll experience during the weekend. The ones who are helping behind the scenes may have tons of stuff they need to get done before they leave for the retreat tonight and they may be stressed out about how the weekend will go for them and their teams.

If one of them showed up tonight all shaky and teary, I’d want to pull them aside and reassure them. “Hey, it’s going to be okay! You did what you could before you got here. You can relax now and enjoy the weekend. Trust that God will be working in your life and in the lives of everyone involved. You’re going to see some great things happen! Take a deep breath, do the next thing, and don’t focus on everything all at once. One step at a time, you’ll make it through the weekend and look back on another amazing encounter with God.”

I’d be kind and loving toward that overwhelmed teenager. And it would make a difference.

So that’s what I’m going to do this morning.

I’m going to be kind to myself. I’m going to write down the things that can wait until next week (so this old brain doesn’t forget them) and work on them after the retreat.

I’m going to be compassionate to myself. I’m going to congratulate myself on all of the many things I did get done already this week, and then keep working on the things that are left.

I’m going to forgive myself for not doing all the things earlier. I did what I could when I could. All I can do is move forward from here. Beating myself up over and over won’t get anything done now.

I feel better already. Calmer. More peaceful. Ready to tackle the next thing on my list so I can check it off and not stress about it anymore.

If I can keep reminding myself to be kind, this is going to be a great weekend!

“Be kind and compassionate to one another [and yourself], forgiving each other [and yourself], just as in Christ God forgave you.” (Ephesians 4:32 NIV, brackets mine)

Are you kind to yourself when you get overwhelmed? How can focusing on God help you show yourself love and compassion, even in the midst of overwhelm?

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Focus Friday: Let’s Focus on One Thing at a Time

Some people thrive on having lots of irons in the fire.

Apparently, I am not one of them.

In my younger years I could juggle tons of activities and responsibilities. I look back at all of the things I did when our children were little, and I can hardly recognize myself. How did I get it all done?

The kids are all grown and out of the house now, and I can’t seem to handle much of anything. The more things I add to my calendar, the more anxious I feel. I end up not doing much of anything because I get overwhelmed when I think of everything all at once.

I’ve been feeling that way for several weeks now. All of my tasks and future activities are spinning around in my brain. I get things done when the deadline gets close enough, but I live with way too much stress when I think about everything I “should” be doing and shut down mentally for much of the day.

I know I’ll feel better if I work ahead and make progress on long-term projects and goals.

I’m sure my stress levels will fall if I work hard for a set amount of time and then enjoy some time for relaxation (instead of dreading the work, putting it off, and worrying about it during moments when I’m supposed to be having fun).

Like Mary and Martha in the Bible, I need to focus on one thing at a time. Martha was worried and upset about all of the work she had to do, but Mary recognized that sitting at Jesus’ feet was the best thing to do in that moment.

That will help me as I move forward. I do take time for reading the Bible each day, but figuratively sitting at Jesus’ feet as I go through the rest of the day might help me focus on one thing at a time instead of dreading all of it at once.

Going through my days asking the Holy Spirit to show me what I need to work on might help me get some things done instead of having everything continue to swirl around in my brain and doing nothing.

It’s time to write some things down, schedule time to work on them in my planner, and focus on one thing at a time.

Getting overwhelmed by everything I want to/need to get done will just lead to more angst and procrastination.

Tackling projects one at a time will bring them to completion.

Especially if I keep God first as I go through each day.

“Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.” (Luke 10:41–42 NIV)

Are you overwhelmed by everything you need to do? How can focusing on God help you work on one thing at a time and enjoy life more as you get things done?

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Focus Friday: Let’s Focus on Overwhelm

Overwhelm is a verb. One meaning is “to bury or drown beneath a huge mass.” Another meaning is “to give too much of a thing to (someone).”

So when we say we’re overwhelmed, it’s basically saying that we’re drowning. We’ve been given too much of something.

I’ve felt that way about emails lately.

I had gotten my inbox down to zero and was keeping it that way for a while, but then all of these amazing offers started appearing on Facebook and other places. Free ebooks! Free webinars! Free video series!

I started handing out my email address to get all of these free things and now I’m overwhelmed.

Drowning in emails. The offers I signed up for were all good, but they led to more and more communication and hopes that I’d join their latest online course or program.

And as I peruse all of these emails and videos and ebooks, I’m using precious time that could better be spent writing or doing something else that will move me farther along in the goals I have for myself.

Once again, I’ve lost my focus.

Not completely, though. I have been reading the Bible each morning and talking to God throughout the day. Because I’m doing that, I think God is showing me that it’s time to get out from under the overwhelm. It’s time to unsubscribe from the majority of people sending me emails and just stick to the ones that really help me in my goals, instead of just introducing me to more and more possibilities.

We only have so much time.

Let’s be wise about what we allow into our lives.

That might mean turning off the TV at times, or putting a limit on our social media usage, or unsubscribing from some email lists.

If we do that, then we can focus on the overwhelming love and grace of God in our lives. It’s amazing that “too much” of those things doesn’t bury us or drown us at all.

Instead, overwhelming love and grace lift us up and give us peace.

“I am overwhelmed with joy in the LORD my God!” (Isaiah 61:10a NLT) 

Are you overwhelmed by too many things going on around you? How can focusing on God help you to let go of some of those things so you can experience His overwhelming love and grace instead?