What To Do When You Feel Overwhelmed and Frustrated
Summary: If you have ever felt overwhelmed and frustrated, you’ll relate to what my coaching client said.
When you feel overwhelmed mistakes will happen.
Dear Dr. Sylvia,
“I had a fender bender on the way to work because I was late and rushing; I tripped going on the up escalator. (Who the heck ever stumbles on a UP escalator?).
Consequently, I spilled coffee on my new shirt.
Above all, they say bad things come in 3’s. Therefore, I thought I did not have to deal with any other messes.
Yes, I need some help to squash the loud, unforgiving voice in my head saying, “You are a total jerk.” however, it’s not true. Bad things can be like an avalanche and keep happening. I will tell you what happened later after I ask for some HELP.
Feeling overwhelmed leads directly to self-doubt.
My self-doubt had me glued to my office chair. I was afraid to get up for fear that I would start the next wave of 3 more terrible things happening to prove what a jerk I am.
What I need is a way to turn off the noise in my head. Then I can get some work done. So, please give me something to smile about.
That said, back to my bad luck day.
Change bad luck when you stop whining and start acting.
My assistant stood at the doorway of my office with a look of “How can I tell him this?”
The “this” was that one of our best clients is taking business elsewhere. AND he informed us in a very sanitized email with little explanation.
At that point, I poke wanted to pen in my eye.
That would end up becoming “bad thing 5.”
Further, I decided to cancel my massage (I figured I would get my back out of whack). Aha, that would stave off “bad thing 6.”
Subsequently, I got a message that my massage therapist was sick.
Now I must worry about what next awful thing will happen.
What do you suggest when a bad day is, really, a bad day?
Signed,
Exhausted and Depressed
How to take charge when you are feeling overwhelmed.
Dear, Exhausted and Depressed,
When stress is high, and energy is low, you need some of my Bumper Stickers For The Brain. You gotta remember the following:
Change is constant: Become like a flowing river by constantly adapting, improvising, and moving.
Get out of victim mentality to stop feeling overwhelmed.
Victims become victors: Find at least three options for each situation by asking yourself what else you can do to feel the fear and do it anyway.
Winners never whine: Winning is an attitude that includes grace under pressure, not judging, blaming, or attacking yourself or anyone else.
At this time in our upside-down world, we can look to the leaders and the general population in Ukraine and see what it means to show “grace under pressure.”
Hope is NOT a plan, action is what is needed.
To sum up, obstacles are opportunities: You’ve hit a bump, or several, that are merely detours to your final success; know that hope is not a plan; you need to act, not just react.
In conclusion, stay the course: Keep your eyes on your goals, and don’t let overwhelm, self-doubt, or imposter syndrome drag you down.
To your success,
Sylvia