What To Do When That Feeling Of Overwhelm Hits...

You've decided to make a change, and you're EXCITED about it. You're full of energy just thinking about it and you're ready to go.

You now start to think about all of the elements required to make that change. And the more you think about it, the more details pop into your head.

OMG, suddenly this is starting to feel overwhelming. HOW are you going to make ALL of these changes? There's so much to sort out and remember, and there is so much new information to learn.

Now that you're feeling overwhelmed you find that's it's killed your drive. You're starting to lose your motivation, and you haven't even started yet.

Have you ever felt like this? How many of your ideas have died before they've even started? Or maybe you get the drive to get started, but somewhere in the middle you get overwhelmed and you JUST WANT TO GIVE UP. What do you do next?

An Example of Something Smaller That Overwhelmed Me

I realized about a year ago that I have sensitive skin, and simultaneously I realized how many chemicals and dyes are in everyday bathroom products. Soaps, body wash, shaving cream, shampoo, conditioner, toothpaste, hair gel, make up, etc. Everything I looked at had a huge list of chemicals that didn't sound like anything you would just come across in nature. I got INSPIRED, I declared to myself "I'm going to get rid of all the products with chemicals and dyes in my bathroom products and make up!" Easy right? Not so much.

I started researching new products, but there were A LOT of products that I was looking into, pretty much everything in my bathroom. I started with make up, I thought, "I'll just find an organic makeup, that will be a good one to use." I found LOTS of makeup that was "organic." But when I started to read more about it, I realized companies can label something as organic even if just a small portion of the product is organic. WHAT? How confusing! I want something that is ALL ORGANIC. I started to get a little frustrated.

Then I came across a make up company 100% Pure, and all of their products are natural and organic ingredients. Their natural ingredients originate from nature and ONLY undergo chemical changes due to biological processes such as fermentation, distillation, and cold processing. Most products are made with things like fruit and vegetables (I have a mascara made from Blueberries!). Yay for a small victory!

100% pure

That Was Just One Product

I ordered all new make up from 100% Pure and got rid of all my old make up. Step 1. However, when I thought about all the other other products I had to change out I started to get overwhelmed again. It took me a long time just to find one good product, how long would it take to change out everything?!

One Step At A Time

Isn't this duck cute? Fun fact, I had pet ducks growing up!

You've heard this before, probably hundreds of times. But that's because it's true. When I felt overwhelmed, I decided to just focus on one product at a time, and let that be enough. I figured every product I switched out meant I was exposed to less chemicals, so I was making progress.

A Shift In Focus

Once I shifted my focus to only think about one bathroom product at a time, my overwhelmed feeling left. My natural curiosity came back, I found that whichever product I was focusing on, I would have fun researching and trying to find the best one. Also, as you start to expand your knowledge in an area, it just becomes easier because you know more. I started to recognize the names of the chemicals I was wanting to avoid, and my research took less time.

When You Look Back And Realize You've Created A Habit

looking back

Just the other day I picked up a natural soap bar to wash my face and I glanced around my bathroom, and I noticed ALL OF MY PRODUCTS are now chemical and dye free. Without me even realizing. They've been that way for months, but it's now something I do on autopilot. I just know the right products to order and the things to avoid, and it's a part of my routine. I got this giddy feeling inside realizing the thing I once thought felt overwhelming, I had accomplished without even knowing it.

yes!

If You're Thinking, That Example Was Something Small & Easy, What About Something Hard?

I used that example because it was something I realized this week, and I think it is something most people could relate to. The same principle works for big, difficult things too.

A Late Night Phone Call

When I was in the midst of chiropractic school, I ALWAYS had something I could be doing. If I was taking any sort of break, i.e. a half hour to eat dinner, I knew I could've been working on homework, or writing a paper, or studying for an exam, or for the boards. There wasn't ever a time when everything was done and I could take a guilt free break.

One night, I got completely overwhelmed. My to do list for school was unbelievably long and HARD. These were not easy things to finish and check off my list. They were each individually very tough, and time consuming. And I had to get them all done soon, like within a couple days. I got completely overwhelmed and FREAKED OUT.

So I called my mom, and I just lost it on the phone. I started crying and explained to her ALL of the things I had to do and how soon and I told her "I can't do it, it's too hard and I don't have enough time!"

burnout

Write a List

She told me to take a few deep breaths, she said "It's going to be ok." She said, "Write out a list of everything you have to do." She stayed on the phone while I wrote out my list. Then she said, "What's the easiest thing on that list?" I told her which one it was. She said "Great, just focus on that one, just do that one thing. And when you finish that one, just do the next easiest one. Then go to sleep (it was late). Tomorrow, keep doing the next easiest thing on your list until you have crossed off everything."

deep breath

So that's what I did. I took a few deep breaths, and I did the easiest thing on my list. Then I crossed it off on my sheet of paper. And I realized I now had one less thing to do, and I felt a little better. Then I did just one more task, and then I slept. Because sleep helps just about everything.

The Power of Focus

Doing one step at a time, I did finish everything on that list, and in time. I didn't fail out of chiropractic school, or miss the deadlines and get into trouble. Or any of the silly dramatic things my brain was telling me would happen when I was freaking out. Everything went just fine. I just had to take one step at a time.

focus

You Can Do It Too

Whether it's something BIG or something small, you can get through it. Just take one step at a time. And remember something big or small that you got through in the past or that you accomplished. Maybe it seemed impossible or overwhelming at the time, but you made it through. You can, and you will this time too =)

Something else that might help...

If you saw my little video on Instagram or Facebook yesterday, you know that I mentioned I have an herb at my office that can help with stress. It's called Kava Forte. It's a product I get from Standard Process. It has to be ordered through a doctor, so if you'd like more information about it or would like me to order some for you, let me know! It really does help in those moments of overwhelm, or if you have lots of daily stress, something to help every day. I absolutely love this herb, it helps you to chill out when you aren't able to do that yourself. When you feel calm, you can think clearer, and it can help you get through the day, and make better decisions.

chill out

Some of the new bathroom products I like

Since I researched bathroom products, I thought you might want to know what I found:

Hand Soap/Shaving Cream/Body Wash/Face Wash: For ALL of these things, I just use a natural soap bar. Those ones you can get at flea markets, or at Whole Foods, or the Renaissance Festival. Home made soap, usually there are some essential oils in there for scent. These bars of soap last a SUPER LONG TIME. I bought 7 bars for the year, and I only used 3. I do live alone, so mostly I'm the only one using them. But either way, they last a long time.

Tooth Paste: Primal Life Organics Tooth Powder

Make Up: 100% Pure, like I mentioned earlier.

I have curly hair, so the hair products I use are for curly hair. Deva Curl

That's it guys, that's pretty much everything I use. When you use one type of soap for so many things, the number of bathroom products you need decreases significantly!