STRESS AND OVERWHELM. Reality Check:
If you are here…
… you are probably a perfectionist, empathetic, high achieving, and creative. And, you’ve probably had your share of overwhelm, stress, and doing it all.
Chances are you’re wiped out, juggling so many roles and responsibilities, and rank low on your own list of importance. Add a never-off the clock nagging inner critic, and voila, you have a challenging, not so fun life that looks good on the outside, and no one but you knows the reality behind the facade.
Can you relate to any of these scenarios?
- Life is so stressful that I’m constantly feeling pressure, with a never-ending To Do list, and not enough hours in the day to manage it all!
- I’m aware of some habits that aren’t serving me, but I just don’t know how or can’t seem to make the changes I know I should.
- I really struggle with boundaries, and I simply must create more balance but I just don’t know the way.
- I’ve been so busy keeping my head above water and handling the daily fires that I don’t even know how to start taking action towards my future goals and dreams.
- I put my life on hold to: have kids/care for an aging parent/get through a difficult period. Now, I need a re-set to define my priorities and create my next chapter.
If you can relate, you’re not alone!
One of the most prevalent needs across every demographic is effective stress reduction. In a recent study with over 4,500 respondents, “over 74% of people felt so stressed out that they have been overwhelmed or unable to cope.”
The negative impact of stress on our physical and mental health is significant– from increased levels of cortisol to anxiety and depression, let alone the implications played out in our personal and professional lives.
In this day and age, stress and a sense of overwhelm and impending doom is chronic. People are pushing themselves to go faster and faster “to keep up” and have trouble slowing down enough to examine what really matters to them, let alone figure out how to go about living the life that is aligned with their values and commitments. The cycle is on perpetual “Spin”– leaving people exhausted, stressed, in a state of baseline suffering with no visible signs of “it” getting better.
HOWEVER, THERE IS GOOD NEWS!
The science and research done over the past decade confirms the positive impacts of meditation and mindfulness to reduce stress hormones in the body and the perceived emotional experience of study participants. (Here is an example from an NIH study: The Benefits of Mindfulness Meditation on Trait Mindfulness, Perceived Stress, Cortisol, and C-Reactive Protein in Nursing Students: A Randomized Controlled Trial – PMC)
Fortunately, there is a way!!!
A New Future Is Possible: The Oasis Within Reach At all Times
As a coach and leader of Oasis in the Overwhelm, I am committed to freedom, truth, and harmony (inner and outer). When any of those is violated, it’s– to put it simply– a big problem.
Because of my experience overcoming my own life challenges – and transforming stress, burnout, and inauthenticity to true self-advocacy and personal power — I made a promise a very long time ago to work with people so that they have more freedom in their lives, that they recognize who they are and what matters to them, and that they remain true to those commitments and values.
I recognize that as human beings, we all suffer to a degree if we aren’t doing what we know to be right for us. This means healthy boundaries, speaking our truth, and pursuing and achieving what matters for us in the arenas of relationships, career, health, and personal priorities.
And it feels wonderful to be doing what’s right in the bigger sense. We all have a responsibility to do what is correct for ourselves, our families, our communities, for our nation, and for the earth.
Suzanne Dudley Schon
Life and Leadership Coach