Overworked and Overwhelmed
Happy Mother’s Day!
I’ll take care of it. Don’t worry about it, I’ve got it handled. Sure, I’d be happy to help! I’m not too busy, it’s really ok. I can knock it out quickly! I’ll rest when I’m dead. I’ll sleep when I’m successful. Busy is better. I can’t afford to take a break. It’s easier to just do it myself.
Sound familiar?
These mantras are the battle cries of the overworked and overwhelmed. They make us the hero of the moment, the one who can do it all, and they feel so good to say. Yet they contribute to a cycle of stress, burnout, and dissatisfaction. So the question is – how are you doing, really? Is over-functioning actually serving you and your loved ones in helpful and lasting ways, or are you barely hanging on by a thread?
If we’re being honest, we weren’t created for the epidemic of chaos and busyness that plague our lives. We were made by a God who Himself created and enjoyed rest. Jesus modeled time alone, time with friends, and time enjoying rest. Not every fishing trip was a teaching moment.
Your existence in this world is a journey capable of boundless love and joy, but they are often concealed by a darker reality – the burden of shame and overwhelming pressure. The web of expectations, feelings of inadequacy or imposter syndrome, and paralyzing perfectionism overshadow and overwhelm us so quickly and quietly, like a thief in the night, that we often don’t realize it’s happening until we get stuck so deep we can’t see a way forward and crisis ensues.
Recognizing and challenging the belief that busier is better is the first step toward finding balance, reclaiming rest, and telling overwhelm that it has overstayed its welcome. Constant productivity is not essential, it’s not even possible. The never-ending cycle of tasks and responsibilities that chases you like a cartoon villain doesn’t have to get you in the end. You have the power to stop running, square up with it, and put it in its rightful place. It’s time to reclaim the postponed peace and self-care you’ve been putting off for a later, undefined time.
Ready to reclaim your peace, love, and joy? Consider attending a Men’s or Women’s Crucible retreat where you can explore the patterns and messages that drive you to over-function and find the power to make the choice for a new and different way forward. Not quite ready to attend a retreat? Sign-up today for a free 30-minute, no-obligation introductory coaching session and discover how a certified Crucible coach can help you take practical and personalized steps forward in your journey. Want to know more about The Crucible Project as an organization before taking any action? Join us for a live Zoom Q&A or request a call based on your best availability.
The truth is, there are countless things vying for your attention that want to offer information and inspiration. Those things are great, but if you’re ready to take a new step forward into a more balanced, joy-filled and peaceful life, you don’t need information or inspiration. You need transformation. The time is now.