About Overwhelm

Hi everyone,

Firstly, a huge thank you for the response to the last Carousel. I was so touched by all the messages telling me you DO read Carousel and that it’s helped you. It meant a lot.

Also interesting that the newsletter I didn't actually 'WRITE' seemed to resonate the most. A good learning!

So today (and for the next few Carousels probably - but also I'm not going to box myself in) I'm writing from the heart again, not trying to construct the perfect newsletter. Simply sharing some experiences that may support you in your Carousel life.

Today I want to talk to you today about OVERWHELM.

As variety seekers and lovers of doing-lots-of-fun-things most of us will be most energised and in flow (maybe even most RELAXED) when we're just on the edge of being too busy.

I love this space - the buzz and vibrancy of having of exciting things on, and needing to be really on top of it all to not miss anything - this sweet spot that gives me razor sharp focus.

But then I'll always get a bit cocky and take on one more thing and BAM I'm in that wonderful place known as OVERWHELM.

This is the opposite of relaxed. We’ll all have a different reactions but for me it’s a full body high alert panic, sweaty palms, quick breathing. I feel like I’ve had a million coffees.

For most of my life I thought that this was just normal life. I don't think I even noticed the sensation because it was the only place I operated from. I was constantly in high alert panic trying to fit it all in, and beating myself up that I had to cancel, be flaky, be stressed. It was no way to live, but the noise was so constant, I couldn’t hear it. Like a tinnitus that you just get used to.

Now thankfully it isn't my modus operandi, so I'm able to notice it. But it can also be a scary sensation to have, because I associate it with a time in my life when I was so rushed and slap-dash. I wasn't taking the care I wanted to.

It's only recently that's I've been able to see this overwhelm not as something to be ashamed of, but as a huge gift. It's a deeply intuitive, wise part of me that is looking ahead and shaking my entire body into sense. Like a mother pulling her child back from running out into the road - it can feel like a dramatic maybe even aggressive action, but it’s for my own survival.

Because it sees what I don’t see. It takes over my body when I’m in conversation about a new project, which I don't have time for, but haven’t said yes yet. It stops me in my tracks as I’m about to fit 3 things into a Saturday that it knows will stop me from being in the moment. It says 'this looks fun, but you're not going to be able to do that and have time to eat.'

I wonder what your signs are that you’re in overwhelm? And when you’re in them do you let them take you over and become your identity? Or do you listen and get curious about what it’s telling you?

This feeling of overwhelm came up a couple of weeks ago about recording my podcast. The fun bit for me is finding people to interview and doing the interviews. I love connecting with people over the topic of Quitting. I’d recorded 15 wonderful episodes… but then I kept booking in more and more interviews before editing any of the ones I’ve already done and THIS is when the feeling came.

It said, ‘wait a minute’
It said, ‘finish the ones you’ve done first.’
It said, ‘be respectful for the people you’ve already interviewed by putting their stories out there sooner rather than later.’
It said, ‘you’re going to have a HUGE backlog of work.’

I didn’t know what to do. Postponing the interviews would be SO unprofessional and disrespectful. It would also expose how disorganised I’d been.

But I also couldn’t make the decision from my head because I was trying to think my way out of it.

So I did the things that I need to do to calm me down:

I did alternate nostril breathing, which tends to bring clarity.
Some very gentle yoga so I could shift the stuck energy around my body.
I had a bubble bath to calm me down .
And in the bath I sang and hummed, which also slows my breathing down.

Yes, textbook self care!

This whole process was about 45 minute and at the end of it it was so clear I had to reach out to everyone from Series 2 and postpone their interview.

What’s more I realised it was not unprofessional to do that. The opposite - it would be unprofessional to waste their time doing an interview I didn’t really have time and energy to edit or do anything with. Out of respect to them and the quality of my podcast, it was better to come back to it when I was in a new recording phase.

So thank you ‘OVERWHELM’ for taking over my body and making it so uncomfortable that I had to do something about it :)

And yeah, as you can imagine, everyone was chiiiiiiiiilled about the interview changes.

I’m curious whether you also have this experience of overwhelm as a multi-passionate? Have you ever viewed it as a supportive ally?

I have one podcast recommendation this week and it's Maisie Hill's 19 minute episode on 'Being Ambitious.' Very linked to what I've shared with you today. ENJOY.

Until next time,

Sarah x

ps. What's on my Carousel right now? I've just done a full weekend of coaching training with the Co-active model, which was INCREDIBLE. I feel very inspired and excited to bring these new tools into my coaching.
I've also recently got a job as a composer! More on that next time but that's kicking into action pretty soon. And finally, am assembling my team for running Power of Uke and Day of Musical Joy at festivals this summer. Lots of vibrant things in at the moment. Back of Carousel: Series 2 interviews for podcast. Coming into Focus: Editing Series 1 ;)

A reminder of Carousel for those of you who are new to it: