Overwhelm to Flourishing Roadmap
If like me, you have a sense there is a better way of living, in both your personal and business life, without feeling overwhelmed; your mind constantly on the go, running around like a headless chicken, lacking focus, feeling fed up and frustrated and stuck.
Or feeling like there is never enough time in the day, being pulled in all directions, worrying about everyone and everything, your to do list getting bigger, feeling drained and exhausted. Then this is for you!!
This chapter is all about creating calm and space, bringing you focus and clarity, helping you live free of overwhelm, its filled with tools and practices which will assist you in creating more freedom, fulfilment and success in your business and personal life!
It’s a great first step to help you:
Create the space you need to gain clarity
Calm your mind instantly
Transform the struggle into ease and flow
Become more focused consistently
Become more solutions orientated
Feel More relaxed
Have more fun in your business and your life
If like me, you are heart centred, a freedom seeker, and a bit of a rebel, you need a framework and system, I would say you probably need it more.
It took me a couple of years of bucking against implementing any type of system, because I hadn’t found one which worked for me.
I realised structure and systems are vital to freedom and success. So, I created a flexible system which is adaptable to suit your needs, relevant for your career, business and personal life.
Making Changes
Any change can be overwhelming so I suggest make changes gradually and see what feels right for you, adding new practices at your pace. The purpose here is to help you release overwhelmed, not add to it.
Start and End Your Day in The Best Way
It’s important to start your day in the best way you can, with a daily morning practice which fits in with you, one to help you feel calm and balanced, with a clear and focused mind, feeling energised and inspired.
Change your alarm to something gentle, and gradual
Set your alarm earlier to give you extra time
Notice how snoozing makes you feel groggy, maybe avoid snoozing
Avoid looking at your phone first thing, set yourself up for your day with gentle stretches and deep breaths before you get up
Think of 1 thing you are grateful for and allow yourself to feel it, until you smile
Write down or say out loud 3 ways you want to approach your day, for example with: Patience – Calm - Focus
Write down 3 things you want to action today, keep it realistic, keep it simple
Ending your day is just as important, giving yourself time to relax before bed. Avoid looking at your phone at least a couple of hours before bed. In bed ensure your body is fully relaxed, using breathing techniques to let go of your day and quite the mind. Gentle music or meditation may help.
Create Space in Your Mind
Be present there are many effective ways to be present, from deep breathing to any type of movement, creativity, meditation, walking in nature, outdoor activities or being playful.
Fully engaging and focusing on what’s in front of you, the more senses you incorporate the easier being present becomes. When we are present it quietens down the mind chatter, creating calm and space, allowing you to be focused and effective.
Awareness is key to moving forward
To make any improvements or transformation, you first need to understand where you are now, what challenges you face, and where you want to be.
Take time to reflect and look at what makes you feel overwhelmed and write it down, here a few examples you may relate to:
Your mind is constantly spinning around, with the negative self-talk, worry, fears, the list of things which need to get done. Not being able to focus or think straight from all the noise.
The list of to do’s as long as your arm. Feeling like there’s never enough time in the day. You either run away from it or work hard and still don’t feel like you have made any head way.
Lacking clarity, not knowing what you really want, or what you need to do, unable to make decisions, second guessing yourself and lacking confidence.
Distractions, social media, the next shiny new thing, being busy with being busy, running around after everyone, getting involved in everyone else’s drama, Just going around in circles.
Fear of what others think, fear of failure, or making a mistake, fear of success, fear of the unknown.
Lack of confidence, self-doubting, putting yourself down, comparing yourself to others, feel like you have never done enough, trying to get everything right, everything perfect and be perfect. Not feeling good enough.
Awareness of how you feel, maybe some of this:
Frustrated and fed up
Impatient and irritated
Tired and drained
Stuck and confused
Unsettled - anxious
Emotional – quick to anger or tearful
Little or no self confidence
Alone and lost
Awareness of the impact
How does this affect you moving forward?
The impact it has on you, your wellbeing, mentally, emotionally, physically and spiritually. The impact it has on your relationships, your family and those around you. How does this impact your happiness and feeling fulfilled?
Imagine what it would be like if you were calm and focused, if you had crystal clarity and direction and knew the actions to take to move your life, including your relationships, business or career to another level, and if those actions felt inspiring and uplifting.
Imagine if you had more time on your hands than ever before, if you consistently felt inspired, energised and uplifted. How would that impact you, your business, career, family.
Crystal-Clear Vision
Create some space in your mind and make time to delve into what you truly want, allow ideas to come to you. Write the ideas down and notice how your body reacts; does it have you sitting up or leaning forward, does it pique your interest, how does it feel, does it light you?
If you aren’t sure what you want look at what you don’t want and think the opposite.
For example: I don’t want to have a business or career which is stressful or unfulfilling, working with negative people.
The opposite to that is: I want a business/career which brings me fulfilment with ease and flow, working with open and positive people.
You can then delve deeper into exactly what that looks like, for example:
I want to truly enjoy the journey, to be creative, have fun and make a positive impact in other peoples’ lives, what does that look like, keep breaking it down to the details.
Can you do this in all aspects of your life
Most of us need guidance to explore what is truly possible, as well as uncover and transform those sneaky negative stories we tell ourselves which keep us stuck.
A Few Simple Top Tips
Slow down
When we rush around feeling like a headless chicken, our minds are too scattered to think straight. We forget or loose things and drop things. You know what it’s like, losing precious time, feeling frustrated and anxious.
Just by you slowing down you create the space you need to feel calmer, centred, and in control. Gaining time, being more organised and way more effective.
Breathe
Focusing on your breath and breathing deeply about 5 to 10 times at intervals throughout the day will slow down your thoughts, bring you to the present and re-energise your body. It creates space and clarity in your mind, allowing for ideas and solutions to come with more ease and flow. And it helps instil a sense of peace.
Reset Breaks
Take a break between tasks, meetings, projects. With peace and quiet even just 5 minutes will help create balance and calm. It refreshes your mind and body and prepares you for the next segment of your day.
Write it down
When you have too many to dos, spinning in your mind, write it down. It will help stop the Merry Go Round of thoughts and create focus. Look at what you have written and get proactive, make a plan and take positive action. See what you can delegate, where you need support, either a friend, collaborator or an expert.
One Step at a Time
Create weekly goals and daily actions, which inspire you and move you towards your desired results. Focus on one thing at a time, keep it simple and don’t get too far ahead of yourself or pile too much on. Take baby/micro steps towards a goal or aspiration.
Focus on the Solution not the Problem
Whenever you have a problem, know there is always a solution, always support. It may not be clear to you at the time. By giving yourself space it allows you to think clearly. Sometimes we just need some time for the solution to show itself.
The solution may come to you through an idea, or someone comes to mind who could help you, or they know someone who could help. If the answer isn’t clear then give yourself space. The answer may just show up for you, or the problem resolves itself!
There is always a solution, always support.
Practice Presence
Your power lies in being present, when you worry about the past and repeating negative patterns or worrying about the “what ifs” of the future it robs you of your power, your energy and inspiration.
Start by being more aware of when your mind takes you out and just keep bringing yourself back to the present and fully engage in what’s in front of you.
Planning and inspired actions
Create an action plan which is inspiring and uplifting to move you towards your goals. Look at ways of how you can make the things you don’t enjoy more fun. I love to co-create with others, someone I can bounce ideas off, create a project with, or collaborate with, or someone who can take on a task for me.
No Pressure
Take the pressure off, no need to keep pushing, ease yourself into things, especially when there is a lot of resistance. Be kind and gentle with yourself, have some compassion for you and treat yourself like you would a best friend, no judgement needed here!!
Alignment
Being in alignment with your success is so important, in fact it’s a priority if you want to reach your goals and aspirations with more ease, flow and free of overwhelm. It’s about raising your vibration and involves, self-care, creativity, play, and positivity, open to receiving, joy, self-love and love. When we are in this realm the possibilities are truly endless and everything becomes effortless.
Make time for you
Ensure you create space in your day to take time out, to reset and refresh, so you can take on your next task with renewed energy and focus.
Feel Good and uplift your energy
When you feel good, it makes life a whole lot easier and more enjoyable. It’s the same in business, it creates so much more ease and flow. It helps you to become productive and highly effective.
Gratitude
One of the fastest and simplest ways to feel uplifted is focus on gratitude, take time to truly appreciate, you know when you have because it makes you smile and if you allow time to sit with it , your whole body will feel like it’s smiling.
Nature
Be out in nature and allow yourself to feel your connection with it, soak up the environment, what do you see, what do you hear, what do you feel, what do you smell?
Creativity
Get creative, anything from cooking to arts and crafts, dancing to photography, music to sports, playing with our children/pets to being intimate with a partner, re-designing or re-configure a room. Gardening to puzzles, the list is endless!
Play
Do things and spend time with people who uplift, energise and inspire you. Explore new interests which bring you joy.
Healthy boundaries
Put in place boundaries so you aren’t saying yes to everyone and everything, leaving yourself depleted, resentful and frustrated. Be discerning with what you take on, and communicate your boundaries in a kind and gentle manner.
Connection - Connect with yourself, nature and higher levels.
Take time out and connect, through meditation, nature, yoga, anything which brings you a deep sense of peace and expansiveness. My favourite is being in nature, taking it all in and being totally present. Other things you could try: sound bath/gong bath, healing session. If you are more active; kayaking, paddle boarding, hiking.
Something just for you, which brings you peace and presence. Allow yourself to feel your connection to universal energy. It’s essential for your mental, emotional, physical and spiritual wellbeing.
Believe - When you believe, anything is possible
Belief is the first step to activating possibility, believing in yourself and the possibility will create alignment, allowing things to line up for you effortlessly.
Boosting Self-Worth
Self- Care is one way to help boost your self-worth, as well as understanding and embracing your true self, who you are at your heart centre. Letting go of the stories, past hurts and the opinion of others which keep you from self-love. Having compassion and being loving and gentle and kind to yourself. Treating yourself like you would your best friend!
From a practical point of view look at what you have already accomplished, look at your skills and experience, your knowledge, your abilities.
Look at what you bring to others and focus on the positive feedback others give you. What you have to offer, your super powers and unique gift.
Of course, there is a lot more involved, however this is a good place to start.
Abundance – is your birth right
All you need to see this is look at the bounty of nature, the air you breathe, the water you drink, the food you eat, the medicines and so much more. Focus on ook at all the ways you are already abundant, what you have, not what you haven’t. Look at the abundance of love, support, possibilities which are available to you.
Every time you notice you are coming from lack, “I can’t afford or don’t have”, change your language, to “how can I afford”? You can create mantras for example saying “every day I am learning how to create wealth/success. Improve your relationship with money and treat it with love, like a best friend, whether you have it or not.
You are not alone
You don’t need to do it alone, look at areas you need support, or expert guidance, a coach, for example, someone like me who is experienced, with the knowledge and expertise to help you flourish.
We are born to flourish, why not you!
Jennifer Evans aka ZenJen
Jennifer Evans is an expert at freeing heart centred entrepreneurs from overwhelm and creating success with ease.
Founder of ZenJen, Transformation Coach, Best-Selling Author, Speaker and Reiki Master, assisting clients for over 15 years, offering online personalised coaching and magical Solo and Group retreats.
You are born to Flourish!
