Overwhelm and why I took a bath at 12.37pm on a Tuesday afternoon!
Ok, so I get it, 12:37pm is not the most convenient time to run a bath and take time out, but this is just a symbolic example of allowing yourself time for self-care and to “Simply Be”.
It happens to us all sometimes – we just get hit with the overwhelm and we simply cannot function anymore, carrying on with doing everything we have on our mental To-Do list. Sometimes, we just need to stop.
Have you ever got on the never-ending cycle of “when I’ve done this, I’ll take a break”, “when this piece of work is finished, I’ll take a break”, “when I can get a babysitter I’ll take a break”, “when hubby gets home I’ll take a break”, “when I’ve done the groceries are put away I’ll take a break”?
There is always an excuse.
Hands up if you’ve been there? I know I have. We spin away on the hamster wheel of the everyday not realising that your self-proclaimed endless energy will end. At some point you’re going to go hurtling out of that hamster wheel and crash into the side of the cage. At some point you must allow yourself to take a moment, breathe, and regain control of the speed that the hamster wheel is turning!
Now my example of when I crashed is when I got in the bath at 12:37pm on a Tuesday afternoon!
My day wasn’t that much different or any busier than any other – I’d spent the morning on calls, one of which I did have to take for an important family issue but the others could have waited, I then popped to the butchers. Once home again, I dipped back into work, with every intention of doing a few bits of house chores after lunch – I bet you’re good at skipping lunch too though hey?
Nothing out of the ordinary there, however, I got to the point where I sat down, and I cried. I absolutely blubbed.
Granted those tears were partly induced by hormones, I was a week overdue – peri-menopausal things seem to be going on but that’s a blog for another day…- but it also reminded me that I need to take care of myself more. Fill my own cup before I fill anyone else’s.
Sure, I have lots of tools in my toolbox that help guide me to sort through my everyday shiz, but I had let them slip – I’d not been taking care of them, which in turn hadn’t taken care of me.
Some of those tools include meditation, having a walk, journalling, and asking for help, but recently they haven’t happened as much as I’d like and the overwhelm just got too much, crept up on me and it all poured out.
It’s so easy to remind others who need to hear it to take care of themselves but sometimes we forget to remind ourselves! I know I will put myself back on course and find my path again and this will pass, but I wanted to share that even those of us who teach, show, and nurture others to be kind to themselves need reminding sometimes.
That is why I was in the bath at 12:37pm on a Tuesday afternoon – so that I could switch off from the everyday demands, be kind to myself, and allow myself to be at peace.
It’s not bad, wrong, or selfish to slow down and avoid Overwhelm.
Take time to refill your cup and be aware in the moment. It is soothing to enjoy the warm, the aroma and the quiet – to make myself the priority. You also work on avoiding burnout!
Now I understand that taking a bath in the middle of the day isn’t always accessible for some, but you will find your own way, you will find the path that best suits you. Perhaps reading a book or taking a walk in your lunch break, even a visit to the park of an evening. A walk by the river, sitting in your garden, if you have a family, ask them to give you half an hour and go and lie down to listen to a meditation or podcast, but ensure you get that time undisturbed.
Find your quiet time, refill your cup and allow yourself to step off the hamster wheel when it spins too fast.
Not sure where to start on finding your time?
Join me in my “Lost to Loving Life” Programme and find out how to step off your Hamster wheel safely.
I’d love to hear about what stops you from finding time for yourself. Feel free to share/get in touch in our Facebook Community or email me at liz@lizchaney.co.uk, and lets help you find that time.
Love & Light, Liz x
