This is just a short post about something I’ve been thinking about today:
Don’t waste your energy, time, or attention on stuff that’s not worth your energy, time, or attention.
It sounds obvious. But how often do we do exactly the opposite?
We replay a conversation that didn’t go the way we wanted. We worry about something we can’t control. We read the comment. We respond to the person who clearly isn’t interested in understanding us. We spend an hour thinking about a problem that may never happen.
And meanwhile, the things that actually matter are waiting for us. The walk we wanted to take. The book we wanted to read. The person we love who would enjoy an hour of our undivided attention. The project we’ve been putting off. The quiet moment we desperately need.
And I think this is how overwhelm starts to build: you fill your day with things that aren’t that important — to you. Then all the things you really want to do and care about are still waiting for you, and starting to stack up! I found myself in this situation today, doing things that just sprang up out of nowhere instead of what I intended to do. I could recognize the feelings of overwhelm that I have been learning about in my Neurotoned program. The whirling thoughts; the feelings of frustration. Then I paused, sat down, took a breath, and thought, “wait a minute…“
Your energy is not unlimited. Your time is not unlimited. And your attention certainly isn’t unlimited.
So maybe the question isn’t:
“How do I get everything done?”
Maybe it’s:
“Does this deserve me?”
Because not everything deserves your energy.
Not everything deserves your attention.
And not everything deserves a piece of your peace.
Final Thoughts:
You don’t have to care less.
You just have to become more curious about what is actually worth caring about.
Helpful Tools
I have two tools for you that may help: One; my Overwhelm Rescue Worksheet Bundle, available through Kit.com. I built this out of my own desire to relieve some overwhelm before it became full-blown burnout. It’s objective and helpful.
Another is a program I personally use is called Neurotoned. It’s an ever growing collection of nervous system reset programs designed to bring you back home to yourself, from the inside out. The wonderful, experienced practitioners guide you through simple techniques you can do at home. These have been incredibly helpful in my journey back from burnout.
Many of their standalone programs (like the Vagus Nerve Reset) use a one-time payment with a 30-day money-back guarantee instead of a subscription. (They also have a membership program and it has a free 7-day trial so you can thoroughly check them out if you choose to go that route).
P.S. I also like that have a strong policy of privacy for their community members and never share your information with any third party.
