“Isn’t it funny how day by day nothing changes, but when you look back, everything is different”
– C.S. Lewis
As we move out of the COVID-19 pandemic and return to life as normal, you may be feeling a bit overwhelmed. Let’s talk about what you can do immediately to create a sense of ease and inner peace.
Is your To Do list or upcoming deadlines creating butterflies? Are you waking up in the middle of the night wondering if you missed something? Are you worried how you are possibly going to get everything done?
Relax, I have a few tips here to help navigate your busy schedule with more joy, ease, and simplicity.
Shift Fear to Excitement
Fear and excitement have the same energy. They both can cause butterflies, increased heart rate and respiration from increased adrenalin. I notice that whenever I’m headed out to an event, traveling, or doing something new, I get butterflies. In fact, I find myself feeling this way even when I’m doing something exciting and fun. You may have too.
I had this experience the other night when I was riding downtown with my husband to a concert. When I shared how I was feeling with him, he said, “Maybe you are just excited. Did you ever think of that?” Of course, that’s all it is. I was just excited! How many other times have I been tormented by fear that was really excitement?
Imagine all the other areas of your life where you are experiencing stress, overwhelm, and feeling just plain stuck. Could it be that you just need a mindset shift? Try asking yourself a new question: “Why am I so excited to be (fill in the blank)?” The first step here is noticing what’s going on and then shifting your energy and raising your vibration.
Get Grounded
Have you ever felt like you have a tornado in your head? Feeling overwhelmed and unorganized can lead to inaction and a sense of not knowing where to start. Try this exercise in the morning, and anytime you find yourself feeling scattered. Close your eyes and breathe. You can do four sets of the 4-7-8 breath. It goes like this:
- Breathe in through your nose to a count of 4.
- Hold your breath for a count of 7
- Breathe out through your mouth (like you are blowing through a straw) to the count of 8
- Do this 4 times and then bring your energy back into your body, down through the base of your spine and ground through your feet. You should feel very grounded when you open your eyes.
Brain Dump Method
Now, take all those things that were flying around in your head and write them down. Get them on paper and out of your head. Now sort through them and list them under three categories:
Important and Urgent – Write the things here that you must do and that need to be done right away.
Important and Not Urgent – Write the things here that are important, but you can schedule them later in your calendar.
Not Important – List everything else here.
Here is the key: Take the Best and Leave the Rest!
Look at your list and get rid of anything that you can delegate or simply eliminate.
Schedule the remaining items and stay focused until they are completed.
If you tend to get distracted with managing projects, this would be the time to consider hiring a coach or an assistant who can help you manage projects so you can focus on what you do best.
Once you have your goals, projects, and tasks identified and prioritized, you can add timelines and deadlines. Remember, clarity and focus will lead to confidence and completion.
If you would like to go deeper on this topic, feel free to take my free course in the Smart Women’s Academy, Unlock Your Financial Power. This is where I share my six-step system to getting things done and creating massive change in your life.
You can use my system for anything from taking charge of your life, to your finances and career. And for those who do this, I even offer a follow up private session with me. Plus, there are lots of free resources and classes on topics like getting out of debt, living a healthier life, and getting smart about money.
Sign up today at the Smart Women’s Academy.
Enjoy this month’s encore interviews with clutter expert, Tracy McCubbin and Master Certified Life Coach and Ease Workshop creator, Sarah Papp. Tracy will not only share strategies for release clutter, but she will also address the emotional attachment we have with these items that clutter our space and mind. Sarah will show us the formula for creating ease in our lives and why ease is important for true happiness. You don’t want to miss these fabulous shows!
Katana Abbott, CFP®, is a Midlife Millionaire® Coach, founder of the Smart Women Companies, and the host Smart Women Talk Radio with over a million subscribers. For over 30 years, Katana has shown women how to take charge of their life and finances and believes it’s never too early to plan for expected and unexpected events like retirement, encore careers, moving abroad, or preparing for long-term care. She has written several books, created a financial literacy course, and is a popular speaker. Katana has been honored by NAWBO as one of Detroit’s Top 10 Business Women, receiving the Breakthrough Award. To download her new retirement guide, Three Smart Strategies for a Midlife Millionaire® Lifestyle. visit www.katanaabbott.com