This article provides practical insights for women who are feeling overwhelmed due to having more on their plate than they can handle. Kristie shares some insight and tips for you to overcome being overwhelmed.
Close your eyes for a moment, inhale deeply and begin to peer into the cavern of your soul. It may not be a pretty picture and that is completely acceptable. What is your emotional state? Do you sense calm or chaos? Are you fearful or focused? Is there shame or solace? Feeling bold or broken? This is your sacred time to be naked and open about the truth that is troubling you.
Why is it important to get in tune with your deepest emotions ranging from childhood to present? The reason is, they are often the motivation behind all of your intentions. If you are unaware of what lies beneath the surface of your actions, what usually occurs is the establishment of habitual patterns.
Have you ever battled feelings of overwhelm, being misunderstood, rejection or inadequacy? If you are honest enough to remove the mask of perfection the answer most likely is yes. As 21st Century women we are responsible for more than ever before. We wear multiple capes fighting one cause after the other until we no longer have the strength to carry our own weight.
Due to unrealistic societal expectations placed on us we tend to overextend our reach haphazardly. Often, as compassionate beings we spend so much time nursing the wounds of others until we are oblivious to our own blood trail flowing behind us.
I remember during a very challenging season of my life where I was stretched paper thin words a mentor shared that I will never forget. “You have the power to stop your own hemorrhaging!” At any moment during times of distress we can shift our mentality from victim to victor.
Once you identify negative emotions follow this simple process of fortifying your internal walls of defense:
1) Acknowledge:
If you are perceived as the strong one in your sphere of influence, it is easy to fall into denial about your real feelings. We must not allow our reputations to put us on a pedestal locking us in a cold and isolated prison. You are a human being who is free to experience a plethora of emotions. Acknowledge what is surfacing and courageously deal with it head on. There is no need to run and hide, even big girls cry.
2) Accept:
There will be experiences that you encounter beyond your control or as a result of personal choices. Anyone can celebrate positive outcomes but strength of character is most often revealed in the heat of adversity. In the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.” When you face an unpleasant situation accept it for what it is, merely an opportunity to learn, grow and move forward.
3) Affirm:
It is easy to motivate and cheer others on to be the best they can be! You deserve the same praise you eagerly share with outsiders, family and friends. Recently, I was dismissed from providing services at an organization that I graciously invested time and energy into freely. There were feelings of being unappreciated and a lack of sensitivity towards a recent surgery that put me behind schedule on previous commitments. I felt like I was being treated as a mere producer rather than a person. In that instant, I remembered a quote from Paula White, “Go where you’re celebrated, not tolerated.” I let it go, thinking their loss! Immediately after that door was closed, I received a request to speak at a women’s event, was asked to be interviewed for a television show and submitted 10 new titles for my next beauty tutorials for ehow.com. I love this quote by Alexander Graham Bell, “When one door closes, another opens; but we often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door that we do not see the one which has opened for us.” After the trial, disappointment or rejection occurs re-affirm your greatness, power and self-worth.
Identity Magazine is all about empowering women to get all A’s in the game of life — Accept. Appreciate. Achieve.TM Every contributor and expert answer the Identity 5 questions in keeping with our theme. As a team, we hope to inspire and motivate ourselves and inspire you to get all A’s.
What have you accepted in your life that took time, physically or mentally?
Every negative experience that left a deep void was created to overflow with love for life and others.
What do you appreciate about yourself and within your life?
I appreciate my indomitable will to overcome any arrow of adversity aimed at me.
What is one of your most rewarding achievements in life? What goals do you still have?
Being crowned the American Image National woman during a time I was fighting fibroid tumors. During my childhood I had a very negative attitude and to be honored for being positive was definitely a major reward for my personal change. I desire to speak on an international level to women of all nationalities.
What is your not-so-perfect way? What imperfections and quirks create your Identity?
I always bite off more than I can chew and then I scramble my head trying to figure out how to make it through.
How would you complete the phrase “I Love My…?”
Closest family and friends who simply love me for who I am and not all the exploits I do!