Overwhelmed with going back to work after vacation, with
finding child care so I can write more, with the impending back to school transition,
I felt paralyzed. But as I watched Daniel taking one teeny step at a time, I
remembered the concept of baby steps. Every day I see him trying, learning,
growing more confident. He’s not leaping tall buildings in a single bound, but
with every step he gets closer to walking on his own.
This morning, I tried to apply that idea to my work. Step
one - I blocked off some time for writing. Step two – I looked at the outline
for my second novel. Step three – I met my small daily writing goal. Just taking
those three steps helped me to breathe more easily.
I have to remind myself that my job is to do the footwork, to
trust that it is enough, and to enjoy the journey. As long as I’m moving
forward, no matter how slowly, I am doing my job.
What helps you when you feel overwhelmed?
Thank you for the reminder Julie (and Daniel)
ReplyDeleteThese last several months facing big decisions, small steps conbinedc with "first things first" is exactly what got me through. Priortizing my "to-do" list so that each day, the small step I took was the most important one, helped me stay calm and focused. Also, remembering to celebrate each small step as a win.
ReplyDeleteReading your blog helps! Seriously, being in a new job in a new district... quite overwhelming. I'm going to print out your last paragraph and frame it on my desk :) Miss you guys! And Daniel couldn't be cuter. He's walkin' like a pro.
ReplyDeleteThe same...one step at a time...one foot in front of the other...and a glass of wine :)
ReplyDeleteReading things like this...thanks for the reminder.
ReplyDeleteThanks, readers! Glad I can help. If only I could follow my own advice...
ReplyDeleteJulie: Lucky for me, the only time I feel overwhelmed is at work, as my home life is pretty calm. Sounds like I have the same approach as you do with your steps. I manage through the crazy work times by listing the things that are on my plate, figuring out which matters most, and I work them off the list. When I'm feeling stressed that the list is never ending (because more things keep getting added) I just tell myself that worst case scenario, I'll get fired, and wouldn't that be fun to have a forced sabbatical for a few months. Life is too short to get stressed by other people's expectations. We all know who/what matters most. The key to happiness is giving those people and things our attention.
ReplyDelete