Four Tips to Beat Overwhelm

Hello friend,

As entrepreneurs and parents, how do you beat overwhelm?

Earlier this week, I attended?two events?that answered that very question.

The first event was a gorgeous afternoon tea event I Co-Chaired with Amanda Ma for the Women of?Entrepreneurs Organization?with?Leadership Coach?Elizabeth Koraca.

The second was an event I hosted through the?Harvard-Westlake Mindfulness Club: Mindful Test Taking with Arbor Bridge Prep.

Check out the four tips below!

Tip 1: You need to first understand what overwhelm is.

“Overwhelm is tornado brain.?When thoughts are swirling uncontrollably in your mind and you’re mired in confusion.”

Once you can recognize overwhelm, you can do something about it.

Tip 2: Ask for Help

Earlier that morning, Elizabeth was about to leave for the event when her husband informed her that her living room started flooding.

She was about to grab towels and then realized that her husband could take care of it. . .

“The old me would have freaked out.?Instead, I told my husband, you got this.”

Then a few miles from the Langham in Pasadena where the event was being hosted, her GPS/internet stopped working.

“The old me would have freaked out.

Instead, I pulled over on the side of the road and?did some yoga breathing.?I?then?reached out to my assistant who then provided me with directions,” Elizabeth said

A few minutes into her drive her GPS/internet started working and it was smooth sailing from then on.

Tip 3: Remember the Acronym STAR

Arbor Bridge Prep?is a tutoring agency that has been incorporating mindfulness into its prep curriculum. Students often come to test taking with high anxiety.

Their tip?

Tip 4: Finger Tracing Mindful Breathing

When you’re in a state of anxiety, you can calm yourself down by tracing the outline of your fingers one by one in rhythm with their in-and-out breath pattern, which helps to develop their attention skills.

When you observe feelings of overwhelm, know that you CAN do something about it!

You can start by practicing being calm with small things. . .that lukewarm matcha oat latte you got at Alfred? —?not worth having a hissy fit over.

You CAN practice being calm. . .practice will lead to habit.

Habit will lead to a calm and peaceful life

Every time you show up being calm, you’ll get better at it.

And your training will be

Remember the ancient Greek poet Archilochus saying:

“We don’t rise to the level of our expectations; we fall to the level of our training.”

How do you handle overwhelm?

Please share your tips!

Quotes of the Week