The feeling of overwhelm can be triggered by so many things in all parts of our lives.
Home chores that are piling up.
So many meetings at work there isn’t time to get the work done.
A project that is full of roadblocks and challenges.
Concern for our planet and climate change.
Some of these challenges are small, others are large.
Some are completely within our control; others require more people to be involved.
I heard a quote that makes sense for all these situations:
“Action is the antidote to anxiety.”
– Gretchen Rubin
My Story
There have been many points in my life where I have the feeling of overwhelm.
When this happens, there is typically a list of things in my head that will reduce the overwhelm.
Yet, when the challenge feels big and overwhelming, I get anxious and feel unable to do anything.
During the time I was working on the Carbon Almanac, we had a lot of discussion about the overwhelm of climate change and the need to get past the associated anxiety.
We began using the mantra “start by starting”.
Since then, any time I feel overwhelmed, I try to take that advice.
What I’ve found is that once starting is behind me, the next steps just start to flow.
Your Turn
Have you used action to combat anxiety?
Are there any areas of your life that feel overwhelming right now?
How could you take a single first step today?