Overcoming Overwhelm even in Lockdown

How do we take back control, quieten the voice of fear and focus on our hopes for the future?

I have never been in this situation before, but I have faced my share of challenges from intensive care to divorce, miscarriage to affairs, life has presented me with plenty of plot twists.

Throughout them, all the overarching feedback I get from people who meet me is, why are you so cheerful. How do you remain positive and robust?

Don’t get me wrong; these things take their toll; you have to acknowledge the uncertainty, the fear, and the hurt.

You can’t ignore it; you have to recognise it and accept it before you can move on and focus on our hopes.

My Top Tips for overcoming overwhelm:

 1. Acknowledge what is happening and how it’s making you feel

Spend time thinking about the situation and try and view it from every angle.

2. Understand the parts you either can’t change or can’t control 

Identify which bits are out of your control. For example, in the current situation, getting the rest of the world to follow the guidelines to ensure we all stay safe, is out of your control.

Getting angry, anxious or frustrated by it will only serve to upset you, it won’t make a material change to anything apart from your anxiety.

3. Identify the things you can change and can control

You can ensure that you follow the guidelines, and so do your immediate family. You can also use this moment of enforced rest to develop yourself, to learn a new skill, take up a hobby or do the things you never have time for before.

4. Determine the actions you are going to take

Identify the things you want to do and commit to them. I am using the enforced pause to develop my coaching skills further and to launch an online group to share the knowledge I have already learnt to help others.

I am also finally taking up exercise and have joined an online fitness group set up by my best friend to stay connected and stay fit.

5. Take the next step

To quote Frozen 2 “Just do the next right thing.” that’s the problem with overwhelm we can lose ourselves in having to solve the whole issue. The reality is we need to take the next step.

With every step, we change our position, and we change our view. The result is what was previously hidden to us comes into sight.

6. Choose your Mindset

Perhaps the most important of them is to pick your mindset, what we focus on we get, so focus on what you want to happen and take steps towards it. I love a quote and use one daily to help me pick my mindset for the day.

My current favourite is “In today I trust”, which means that I trust that every day will bring me a positive, even if it also brings me a challenge.

7. Don’t do it alone

As with all things in life, be that love, life or business we are stronger together, so don’t face this alone. Find a support group be that family member, partner, friend or an online group, ensure you have other people around you to share your thoughts with, your hopes dreams and fears.

To be there to lift you when you fall and to celebrate when you fly.

Right now, we need to distance ourselves physically while taking advantage of the advances of technology to ensure we stay socially connected.  

So Stay Communicating, Stay Connected, Stay Safe.

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Kim Adele Platts

CEO & Entrepreneur at Kim Adele

She is a board-level coach who specialises in helping executives lead with impact and humanity. Kim has established a reputation as a transformational leader. She consistently generates new business and has turned underperforming companies into market leaders despite challenging environments. Kim is also a Non-Exec Director with the IoD, Academy Trust and Mary’s Meals.

@kimadele10

Latest posts by Kim Adele Platts (see all)

• Overcoming Overwhelm even in Lockdown - May 22, 2020