Two weeks ago, I faced a wall of resistance so strong, I actually broke down crying.
You know what that feels like. You feel overwhelmed—panicky and unable to think about the next steps. The only thoughts that crowd your head are about escape: I can’t do this. Why did I feel I could take this on? This isn’t my strength. How can I get out? And then, if you’re like me, tears.
I had a few options. I could power through the overwhelm and just cheer myself on: You can do this. You’ve done this before. Don’t be a wuss. Or I could completely run away, write a letter to my client and give up. Or I could take a break, do something that gave me joy and come back when I felt calmer.
In the past, the first option was my default solution. I would just ignore the voices in my head and just power through the overwhelm and fear until I got to the other side. I’ve also done the second option a couple of times where I decided things weren’t worth it and just quit.
But this time, I couldn’t quit and I knew there was something better than my default solution (which had led to burnout and lots of unhappiness). Instead, I tried the third alternative which was to take 30 minutes to do something I loved (in this case, I knit a Tiny Stripes hat). I went back to my computer, refreshed, the voices in my head calmer and not so loud.
But what really made the shift was what came after I had finished typing out the first drafts of press releases and presentations. I sat very still and asked myself why I was doing this. The reason was clear: It was because my client was a friend, who I loved very dearly and who I really wanted to help as she grew her business.
And every time it got hard, as it often did during the course of the week, I connected with that love, with my intention of why I was doing what I was doing.
For you, you could be doing something difficult because of your love for your family, your respect for your boss, your belief that your customers deserve the best from you. It could be your desire to travel, to retire early, to pay off a debt, to do something amazing for your mom. Or it could be that this was something you’ve always wanted to do, the fulfillment of a dream.
Whatever it is, connect to that always.
This is the letter that I sent out to subscribers for my monthly little notes in your inbox. If you want to subscribe, just fill out the form below. Would love to send you some joy, inspiration and intention every month including links to things I’ve discovered all over the internet that I think will be delightful for you too.
