The 110th Edition

Sometimes the difference between feeling burdened and feeling grateful is how we choose to interpret the weight we’re carrying.

Something to Think About

A busy life can be overwhelming and still be a life you are incredibly fortunate to have.

Something to Ask Yourself

How much of what currently feels like a burden is actually something you once hoped, worked or asked for?

Personal Lesson

Recently, I’ve felt quite overwhelmed by the amount of work I have on. Newsletters and marketing emails to write, Meta Ads to record and manage, podcasts to plan, record and edit, people to coach, sales to manage, resources to make for the Coaching Hub, finances and accounting to do, ideas to develop, meetings to attend and countless small things demanding my attention. Alongside that, I have a lot of training to fit in. Honestly, even writing that list has made me feel more overwhelmed!

All of it is good, exciting and a privilege (if you’re reading this miming a miniature violin , keep reading…) But even good things become heavy when you’re carrying enough of them at once.

What I think has surprised me is how calm I’ve mostly remained. Not all the time, of course, but I’ve sort of promised to myself recently that I wouldn’t let things get to me so easily. And I’ve seen a change in me.

In the past, I’d have turned the volume of work into a story about how stressed I was. I probably would’ve mentally gathered every unfinished task into one enormous, imaginary pile and then spent more energy worrying about the pile than working through it.

Recently though, I’ve been trying to see the fullness of my life differently. 

I’m busy because I have work that matters to me. I’m training because my body is capable and I have ambitions I care about. These are opportunities I’ve chosen. That doesn’t mean I’m not allowed to feel tired or overwhelmed – we’re all allowed to feel that way sometimes – but it does mean I can experience those feelings without catastophising.

Running – Life’s Metaphor

On a long run, the entire distance can feel impossible when you try to carry it all at once.

But you never actually have to run the whole distance at once. You only ever have to take the next step.

Life becomes overwhelming when we mentally attempt to live every demanding moment simultaneously.

More peace can be found when we come back to the part we can act upon now.

Final Thoughts

Not all busyness is good, and gratitude should never become an excuse to ignore exhaustion, neglect recovery or accept commitments that are destroying you.

But sometimes we describe our lives as burdens when they’re just full. 

The work is demanding because we care about doing it well. I’m tired from the training because, well training is tiring, but I’ve chosen to pursue something difficult. Our calendar can sometimes feel packed because we’re taking opportunities we once hoped for.

Parents of young children will tell you this fundamental truth of life: it is possible for something to be the hardest and most stressful thing, but also the thing you are most grateful for.

You can be overwhelmed and grateful at the same time. 

You don’t need to hold your entire life in your head today. Deal with what’s in front of you, then move to the next thing.

The weight of it all may still be there, but it’ll feel different when you remember that much of it belongs to a life you consciously chose to build.

One final thing, if you’re reading this, I want to say I appreciate you.

Sometimes it can look like the person you follow on social media, or who’s work you support, is doing great all the time. But honestly, every day, I feel behind.

Sometimes I feel completely drowned by commitments and a long to do list. I recognise there’s always more I can do to delegate and improve systems, that’s all part of the process, but I am just a bloke with a very average IQ doing his best at something he’s never done before.

But every now and then, I stop and remember the number of people who are out there supporting what I do and it makes everything feel a lot easier.

You reading this is that support, and I am grateful each day to have you.

RUN THE RUNNABLE 😉