Overwhelmed? Take 5 three times a day and set yourself free.

If you're like most folks, you've experienced that moment where you feel totally and completely overwhelmed by the circumstances of your life.  

I'm talking about that moment when in the midst of interacting with difficult folks, parenting a person or two, working a really long day, being stuck in traffic when you're already late, second shifting it at home -  you wish that you could hit the pause button on the world just to breath and figure things out.  Now, we both know that the world ain't stopping because you need time to re-group or get your head on straight (darnit!).

What you can do, when you are at your most overwhelmed, is give yourself the gift of getting back to basics and pause yourself. And by basics,  I mean just that - stop running from morning until night like a sports car with an endless supply of gasoline! Accept what feeling overwhelmed says that you need and permission yourself to take it.  Choose to start a new day in your relationship with yourself.  Starting tomorrow morning,  enjoy the gift of five quiet minutes before jumping up and out into the world. 

And when you get to the office (or wherever you head), before you start your workday of leftovers from the day prior, back-to-back meetings, to-do lists, emails, great team members, irritating co-workers, managers, and clients, take five minutes.  Do this before dealing with any of it - to ensure that you are working toward specific results rather than allowing your calendar, inbox, and agendas other than your own work you.

And when you have to go (you know exactly what I mean), go.  And if you need quiet moment in the middle of a crazy day to take a deep breath and think - take it.

And at the end of the day give yourself the gift of a wrap-up five minutes to de-compress, get clear, and consider where you are relative to where you would like to be.  Ask God to help you. Then enjoy a more peaceful sleep because you've carved yourself into your own existence.

Grant yourself permission to make a few quiet minutes part of your daily routine.  I promise that you cannot regret it.  And protect your right to that time with with all that is within you.  No thoughts, no plans, no chatter.  Just a quiet 15 minutes a day to "listen," really listen to what you have to say. 

I wish you Peace.