Which baby step is next?

Overwhelm is a thing. I hear about it everyday.

No matter where you are stuck or overwhelmed, how does remembering that overwhelm dissipates one baby step at a time support your optimal health?

The overwhelm that is part and parcel of competing responsibilities, the overwhelm from goals that don't feel achievable, and the overwhelm from expectations from others.

And that is just the beginning.

What I notice is the desire to jump straight to the end of the story... when this thing gets out of my way, I will have so much time to do what I want to do. When I reach this goal, I can finally breathe. When I finally make that person happy, I will be able to focus on my own life.

It's like expecting to jump up 30 steps in one leap, to the end of the story, in order to escape the muck. Except that jumping directly to the end of the story doesn't work for anyone I know.

Instead, I have noticed that putting one foot in front of the other, baby step by baby step, is what works. Laying out my workout clothes at night is a baby step making it more likely that I'll put them on in the morning. Creating a small, dedicated space for meditating makes it more likely I will get my seat onto the cushion. And setting written intentions around my space reminds me, again and again, to pay attention to what is presenting itself so that I stay aware and awake.

Baby steps, one at a time, dissipates overwhelm until it softens and turns into a gauzy haze, and eventually lifts and disappears.

When I remember to take baby steps, it feels super healthy.

Make taking baby steps to dissipate overwhelm, on a regular basis, a healthy habit.