Overwhelmed is what we experience through the accumulation of suppressed emotions disguised by a list of "have to's".

It comes with a sense of urgency to get things done within a time frame, and it is often paired with behaviors that help us to "unplug", leave things on hold, and sometimes extend that time frame. Both are honoring a desire; the first one wants to keep us on track, and the second wants to give us grace.

Anyone relate??

So what do we do to find the balance between these forces that act under the umbrella of overwhelm?

We circle back to our values. I know this may seem like a left turn in the topic, but this is how we go back to what really matters! When we are clear about our values, we have a compass that we can reference to mentally regroup and axe out the stories that do not serve them.

Having this system in place is also how we ensure that we remain within integrity. When we are within integrity, we remain at a state of awareness that will indicate when it is time to take a pause and when it is time to take action. This is both how we can respond to being overwhelmed, and also prevent it.

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​All that to say that circling back to our values gives us the refuge our mind needs to come back to presence.

From here, we come to understand that taking rest is a strategic move for us to meet our goals more efficiently. Wait what? If I rest, I'll get more done? Yes. Exactly that. The key word here is strategy.

We tend to take rest after the overwhelming actions of getting things done, and sometimes even reach a level of burnout. Which is not really rest, but a restoration of energy by disassociating from the work done. This approach is an energetic vampire on how to approach our goals, because it leaves us defeated and maybe even resentful of our work.

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So this year, try the sustainable approach of prioritizing rest.

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Prioritizing rest keeps the tank full, the mind clear, and efficiency levels up. It also means that you will be saying no to things to be able to say yes to rest, because you understand how it supports your long-term goals.

It seems silly to dedicate times for rest, but if you tend to keep busy, it is just what you get to do to ensure that overwhelm is not a mental state you live in.

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​Here are some ways one can prioritize rest:

1. Organized sleep schedule - this varies by the person, so it's on you to experiment how many hours of sleep lead to an empowered day. Once you know the hours, stick to it! No Snooze! (talking to myself here ;))
2. Morning routines - spend the first hour of your day away from electronics and close to nourishing practices (i.e., self-care practices, prayer, meditation, reading, journaling, etc.)
3. Keep devices (phone, computer, ipad) away while you sleep - radio frequencies from our everyday devices interact with our nervous system, whether we use them or not. As long as your device is picking up a signal those waves are being emitted. So let's give our nervous system space to regulate while we rest :).
4. Time blocks- When you know you are going to be indulged in a project, schedule 15 min time blocks throughout the day to take a break. Also after any big launch, make sure you have a day or two where you get to regroup (go back to values, reflect, and have extra rest)
5. Plan naps- I am not sure where we learned that naps are only for kids. Yes they are developing at a much faster rate than us adults, but let's not forget that we are forever evolving. Naps as an adult are just as important, and will serve our productivity and performance following them.

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These are just a few out of the many ways one can prioritize slowing down, to go further. Which one would you add to the list?
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Want to learn more on how your values can be used to change your relationship with overwhelm?

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Sign up for my Breaking Free From Overwhelm Masterclass to find out more on how circling back to our values supports the limiting blocks at play under the umbrella of overwhelm.
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Happy Resting!

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Nicole 🕊️