Overwhelm and confusion are two emotions that are nonproductive. They can be labelled as "indulgent emotions" because we tend to wallow in and feel paralyzed by them. When operating from a state of overwhelm or confusion, rarely do we move forward the way we'd like to. You are likely feeling overwhelmed if you have thoughts like: "Everything is a mess." "There's too much to do." "I don't have enough time." "Where do I start?" "It's too much." "I can't hold it all in my brain." You may be feeling confused if your thoughts are along the lines of: "I don't know." "I don't know how to..." "This feels foggy to me."
I lived in overwhelm and confusion for a long time when it came to food and weight loss. I didn't know how to get a handle on my eating habits because they seemed so out of control. What should I eat? How much? I feel hungry. I'll just follow intuitive eating. Why can't I eat like a normal person? Why did I eat that? I'm an emotional eater - what's wrong with me? My brain spun around and around in this loop constantly. I read a lot of information. I listened to podcasts. I remained overwhelmed and confused.
Overwhelm and confusion. They're poisonous. They're dream snatchers and motivation killers.
If you feel overwhelmed or confused, ask yourself: How do I want to feel instead? If a platter of alternate emotions was available, what would I choose? Certainty? Feeling satisfied? Capable? Confident? Determined? Excited? Then, think of a believable thought that would create that feeling such as: "I don't have to have all the answers to move forward." "I'll work on this for five minutes." "I'll focus on one thing at a time." "Just for today." "I know exactly what to do." This line of thinking could lead you to:
-make an appointment
-put on your shoes
-clean out the dishwasher
-write for 10 minutes
-prepare one healthy meal with what you have on hand
-read 10 pages
-locate your resume
-make your bed
-make one phone call
Do you catch my drift? In my early days of changing my eating habits, the thought that I kept coming back to that eradicated overwhelm was "Just for today." Just for today I'll eat what I planned. Just for today I'll stay out of the candy cupboard. Just for today I'll drink my three jars of water. And so on. That three-word thought made me feel hopeful and in control of myself. That three-word thought snowballed over the days and months and led to a 25-pound weight loss. Those three words transported me out of confusion and overwhelm.
Are you indulging in overwhelm or confusion? Will you use these emotions as an excuse to stay stuck, or will you choose something else?
Until next time,
