NOTE: This podcast was transcribed by an AI tool. Please forgive any typos or errors. [00:00:00] In a world that never stops spinning. We find ourselves in a sea of tasks, expectations, and responsibilities. [00:00:08] But what if I told you that overwhelmed doesn't have to be your default state. [00:00:13] Today, we're going to talk about the heart of overwhelm and what we can do to help us regain our productivity. And most importantly, our peace. [00:00:22] My name is Cara and I am an intuitive life coach. And my life was so overwhelming. I left my career of 20 years. My health was depleting and I just didn't know what to do. I felt like I was swimming upstream on a raging river and [00:00:38] it took a spiritual experience to pull me out of that depth of feeling overwhelmed in my life [00:00:45] but today I'm going to give you tips that help you from chaos to cosmos, to help us regain our power when we have control and how we can use it moving forward. [00:00:55] Thanks for being here and I can't wait to dive in. [00:00:58] What is the Antidote Overwhelm --- [00:00:58] Overwhelm, it can leave us standing in the corner, not knowing where to take action. So the question is what is the antidote to overwhelm? It's not about doing more. [00:01:10] It's about doing the things smarter. [00:01:13] And while my energy is different than your energy, I'm going to give you tangible steps on how you operate as a person to help you tackle overwhelm. [00:01:22] So with the idea of overwhelm, a lot of times we feel like we're stranded on an island that we're trying to do it all. We're trying to juggle and things feel out of our control. But here's the deal. After polls and feedback from you. My clients. And my community. It's all of us. We are all overwhelmed in the lives that we have created for ourselves. [00:01:46] But now it's time for us to take control of this narrative. And move forward in a way that is empowering. [00:01:53] My "Spirtual Experience" --- [00:01:53] Before we dive in, I am going to let you in on a little bit of my experience and where I started to take control of my life. I went on a trip with my family in 2020. It was February, our house was at the end of a remediation because we had mold. And at that point, I just felt like everything around me was out of control my health, my son's health. What we had to do with our house to be able to feel healthy and safe. [00:02:21] And we went on this trip one of the aspects that I was doing for my body was a detox. I was trying to remove any toxins out of my body because [00:02:31] A lot of times mold affects women and our hormones more. And that's what I was experiencing. So during this detox, My diet was a very restrictive diet. And so I was ultimately cleansing. Everything out of my body, I was trying to use. Limited products on my skin and it was a very deep process. [00:02:52] And while we were on this trip, of course my food intake was very limited. My fruits consisted of green apples and green bananas. my sugar was limited. And part of the process that I found that was helpful. [00:03:06] Was using an infrared sauna. but it was helping remove the toxins out of my body. we were. visiting family and I knew that they had an infrared sauna in their house. And while we weren't staying at their house, I had asked if I could go use it for an afternoon. [00:03:21] And they of course allowed me to do that. And my next question was. How long should I go for. The next thing that they said to me, I was not prepared for. They said, however long your body needs to be in there. I was someone that my schedule at work was planned to the minute. That I had to be home at a certain time after I was done with work to let, whoever is watching my children go, my life was on a tight schedule. [00:03:47] So the fact that I got to choose how long I got to go in there. It was a moment. I didn't know. I needed for the last 20 some years. [00:03:56] So I get in the car. I drive to their house. I take my time. I stop at some sites along the way. It's in the beautiful West Virginia. I have a spiritual experience. Every time I've gone since going this time. I get to their house. I use the sauna and my busy body minds brought my journal, brought my Kindle, brought my speaker, brought my phone. [00:04:19] I brought all the things to keep me occupied and guess what? I sat in there and I cried and I released, and I allowed myself to be present with myself, checking in. How long did I want to sit in the sauna The moment that I came out of there and realized. I asked the universe. [00:04:39] I asked God and I said, [00:04:41] Show me because the reality I'm living in. I can't do it anymore. My body's shutting down. I'm overwhelmed. I am not the mom, the wife, the hairstylist. I truly want to be. What do I need to do to change my reality? And God answered from that moment on, I started to see the opportunities. That there was lessons. And there was things that were coming to me too. Take me on a journey that I've never seen before. [00:05:09] What do we have control over? --- [00:05:09] And so my first suggestion, when it comes to overwhelm. Is. What do you have control of and what don't you have control of and sit with that for a minute. I want you to feel in your body and say, do I have the control to change this? If I do. Please show me the steps. [00:05:29] Please show me the resources, make it easy because I'm ready to change. And it wasn't controlling what that looked like. It was allowing. All the things that I need to step forward in my journey to come to me. And it did. [00:05:44] And if it's something I can't control, that is when I realize my precious energy. Does not need to go into the thing that I can't control. That if I'm meant to fix it, find a way. [00:05:56] I will have the power to find the resource, whatever it is to do that. And if I don't, I have to let it go. So when you realize the power of what you can control and what you can't. That is where the freedom lies. Because a lot of the times when we put our energy into something that we can not change, that we don't have any influence in. That energy. Is depleting us. [00:06:20] It is precious energy that we can be putting into the things that we can change. Now fast forward, just two weeks. [00:06:27] Locked down happens. And it was more time for me to reflect on what I truly wanted in my life. What did I want my days to look like? I wanted to incorporate slow mornings into my day. I did not have that as an opportunity when I was working before. I wanted to be able to have my family come first. And my work comes second. I did not have the ability to do that. [00:06:52] I didn't know how to set the boundaries. I did not know how to put myself first so that I could care for my family. as this time of reflection, I was really able to dig deep of what my values were, what my mission is And what my true desires are. [00:07:09] I remember at this time I wrote down a list of my top 10 favorite things. And any time I'm trying to. Cultivate more things than I really need in life. I look at this list. Because most of the things on this list, Do not have a monetary value. A slow morning to me is the most luxurious thing that I can have. [00:07:32] And ultimately it doesn't cost me a thing. [00:07:35] Make a list of your 10 top things that bring you happiness --- [00:07:35] When we get overwhelmed, let's focus on the things that truly bring you happiness and joy. [00:07:40] And then try to incorporate those in your daily life. [00:07:44] I'm also going to mention that. That six weeks. Of lockdown was more time. Then I had on my maternity leaves. I wasn't caring for a newborn and healing. I think a lot of this journey for me was healing those times. I felt like that wasn't an option for me, that I was robbed this time. Uh, being able to nurture myself and nurture my child. And I look back, especially after I had my son, the amount of stress that I was under. [00:08:14] I went back only four weeks after. During that four weeks, we were at the hospital most days, And we still had months of figuring out some health issues and him having surgery. So the first year of his life was one of the most stressful years of my whole entire life. It was overwhelming. [00:08:33] Are you living a life of other people's expectations --- [00:08:33] And I think a lot of it was, I was just trying to live a life. Through other people's expectations. And so that's my next point. [00:08:42] Get clear on. What's important to you. Define what success means to you? Because a lot of the times we are trying to move up the corporate ladder. We are trying to have the house, have the vacation house, have the car. Make ends meet whatever it is. I want you to feel. In your body, what success feels like to you? And make sure you remind yourself of that. A lot of the times it is not a monetary thing. [00:09:11] It isn't a title to your name. Because. When we feel overwhelmed, we are trying. To energetically, use our energy in a way that's not efficient. We are trying to operate. Out of stress. That we need to get things done. We're going to fall behind. even when I left my career, And was starting my new entrepreneurship. I always felt behind. And I was still in this hustle mentality in the first few years of my business. And I was like, wow. Why do I still feel overwhelmed? [00:09:46] I have this opportunity. Two. Make my career around what fits my family and I'm still being overwhelmed and it's because I wasn't using my energy efficiently. [00:09:58] There is times where I'm highly productive and there's times where I need rest. And when I forced myself. To be highly productive when my body needs rest. Guess what happens? We get sick. We get overwhelmed. We get frustrated. We get angry. These are signs that's telling us we are not listening to what our body needs. We are not honoring our unique energy. And that is super important. In the world of Becoming less overwhelmed. [00:10:29] Energy Awareness is where to start to become less overhwhelmed --- [00:10:29] when it comes to making progress to become less overwhelmed. Energy awareness. Should be number one. [00:10:37] So between what can you control and what you can't control? And energy awareness. They are the most important aspects of becoming less overwhelmed. [00:10:47] Energy awareness is where you start to honor and understand your energy. If you experience a menstrual cycle, it's knowing that the four phases in that cycle have different energetics. My cycle is different than your cycle. So it's up to you to honor and listen, leave time for reflection. Start an energy management practice. And all that is, Test it out for 30 days. And listen to your energy. Right in a journal, I even have a free energy tracking guide. [00:11:19] I will put it in the show notes, but begin to honor and understand your energy. I use a few different tools. I use the cycle, I use the moon cycle. I use human design and human design is an energetic blueprint. It gives us the language. It gives us the visual representation, where, and how our energy flows, where we're consistent and where we're inconsistent. [00:11:42] We begin to learn that where we have consistent energy. [00:11:45] We can utilize that. And that where we have inconsistent energy, we can build the toolkits to support us. We can build the team. The support we can delegate in those areas because we are trying to do all the things all the time. And guess what? Not one person in this world is meant to do it all all the time. [00:12:05] Your cup needs to be filled before you are outpouring your energy to other people. It is not selfish. That. Narrative is done and changed. How many women have you seen in their life? Get to a point in their mid thirties to mid forties and they are burnt out. Their health is declining. It's because. We have not been taught to understand our energy, acknowledge the signs, the whispers of when we need to rest and take a step back. So I empower you to make this a practice for the next 30 days. [00:12:39] Understand your energy. I'll put the link in the show notes so that you can use this tool to help yourself get less overwhelmed. You don't have to dive into the nitty-gritty of human design, your cycle, the moon cycle to use this power. It's just tapping in to your own inner wisdom. [00:12:58] That is what energy is all about. [00:13:00] Grounding Techniques --- [00:13:00] The next tool is grounding techniques, this is something that I have to cultivate almost daily. Because I want to take action. I want to do. And a lot of times I need to get in my body. For me, grounding is getting in my body. So that's going for a walk that's breath work. It is just standing. On the ground. Barefoot. And breathing sometimes. [00:13:23] However you can get in the present moments and be in your physical body is going to help you get grounded, even somatic dancing. Put on your favorite song. two to five minutes and dance it out, get that energy feel in your body. And that will help you get in the present moment. Because a lot of the times when we get overwhelmed, it's because we're thinking too much about the future or we're stuck. In the past. The present moment is where our piece lives. [00:13:49] So finding ways to become present with ourselves is going to help you feel less overwhelmed. [00:13:55] Setting Boundaries --- [00:13:55] The next tip is setting boundaries easier said than done. One of the things that I learned when I was a hairstylist was energetically. I did not care for myself. I did not feed myself. Well, I did not hydrate myself. Well, I didn't even use the restroom very well. And those are very important, energetic tools to nourish ourselves. And a lot of times at the end of the day, I was so depleted because I didn't have those boundaries set for me. [00:14:22] I always felt overwhelmed because I had to do the next client and I didn't have the time to sit and care for myself. [00:14:29] So if I were to do it again, I would make sure I had a buffer of five to 10 minutes before every single client so that I could tap into my energy, that I could drink water, that I could go to the bathroom, that I could eat food because it is not worth my wellbeing. To push through that. And so a lot of the times boundaries are said to be set with other people, but I want you to consider this as a boundary for yourself. [00:14:53] What boundaries do you need to set for yourself daily to make sure that you are hydrated and cared for? Because when we're overwhelmed. We are not caring for ourselves in the best manner. [00:15:06] And just another aspect was setting boundaries. It's being okay with saying no. Something that I like to talk about is inner authority and human design. This is the place that I tell people like you do not have to dive into your human design, but you should know your inner authority. This is how we make decisions. This is how we elevate our intuition. [00:15:27] So for me being a sacral, inner authority, I can feel in my gut, if it's a yes. Uh, huh. If it's a no. Uh, [00:15:36] If I don't get either of those, it's a not right now. And so a lot of the times I'm not even saying no to people. I'm just saying. I can't give you an answer. Now I'll have to get back to you. If you need an answer right now, then my answer is no. And so it's understanding that when we commit our energy to something. That will deplete us. We are losing energy that we could be using in things that could give us energy. And that's how human design works is. [00:16:03] If you can invest your energy into things that come back to you, you will not be depleted. You can still get a lot done when you're feeding your energy in a way that feels good, but committing to things that are not meant for you. That is a fast track to being overwhelmed. [00:16:18] Self-Care --- [00:16:18] So of course self care is an important part of being less overwhelmed. And it's caring for yourself. It's not just a bubble bath. It's not just a face mask. It's not a spa day. It's not going on a retreat for a weekend it's self-care practices in your daily routine. It's been.Present with yourself and drinking water and feeling the hydration in there. [00:16:42] That's nourishing yourself. It's being able to breathe and take some fresh air breaths outside. So think about how you can care for yourself throughout the day. And not say I can do it once I finished this task, because then. You will be burnt out. It's caring for yourself in the process. [00:17:02] Identitfy Triggers --- [00:17:02] Now it's really important to identify triggers. That bring on overwhelm. So an important aspect of this is identifying your triggers. [00:17:11] And so for me, Travel would. In golf, me and overwhelm. And that's why you've seen a lot of my episodes around reducing stress while traveling, because I would actually have panic attacks. I would have these attacks that we would have to pull over. I couldn't breathe. I felt sick. And it was because I wasn't allowing myself to prepare for this. [00:17:34] I would say, okay, when we get in the car, I can breathe. Or when we get on the airplane, I can breathe. And for me, I need to make sure that I'm. I'm emotionally regulated throughout the whole process. Not once. We're going. That was a trigger for me. So I encourage you to take note when you get triggered, when you feel overwhelmed, what is causing it? [00:17:54] Is it because you're on social media and you see someone posting their highlight reel of all the things they do. Understand that your energy and my energy are different. And so sometimes again, you can see me super productive. But guess what? I'm not like that all the time. So it's knowing that our energy comes with ebbs and flows and you need to create the toolkits and the routines. Around your energy and that will help you become less overwhelmed. [00:18:24] Set Realistic Expectations --- [00:18:24] It's also important for you to set realistic expectations? [00:18:29] a lot of the times I think I can do more. Then what the allotted time. Is for me. And so I've actually created time blocks and we'll do a task up until that time. And so sometimes I don't get that specific thing done and that's okay. It's understanding that your energy will change. [00:18:49] And when we force ourselves to continue working. When we're depleted it benefits no one, our work. Our bodies, all of it. We'll show in the end because we become overwhelmed. [00:19:01] So in the aspect of. Time management. That's really important. It's understanding when you have time to do things when you don't have time to do things and trying to find. Uh, way to manage your time effectively and how you operate. So I have figured out how I work. Well, I batch my content. I batch what I do because energetically, when I'm in a flow of doing something, I can get a lot done. [00:19:27] Other people, they like to go through the whole process. So it's recording, editing, and that's how they work. So it's. Honoring how your energy flows best and then creating a time management system that feels resonant to you. [00:19:43] Celebrating along the way --- [00:19:43] this part has been something that I didn't know I needed until recently. [00:19:48] This is where I was not feeling fulfilled in the goals that I was making and setting. it's celebrating along the way. ' cause a lot of times we set these goals. We might not meet it. Or if we do, you know, the celebrations like, yay. We did it. Okay. Move on to the next thing. it's honoring and say, and I'm proud of myself. [00:20:08] I set this goal. I am trying to embody the feeling of that goal throughout and making sure that you. Set. Uh, way that you're going to celebrate when you're working through these things. So if you're. Wanting to figure out how to celebrate. Working through overwhelm, it's saying. Okay. I only got frustrated a couple times this week, so I am going to celebrate by giving myself a whole night of self-care. you can do things without spending a ton of money, and it's just caring for yourself, giving yourself. The love and the tension you so much deserve. [00:20:42] Connecting with Community --- [00:20:42] The last thing that I want to talk about is connecting with community. Understanding that you're not alone in this. So many people feel overwhelmed in their life. Don't get me wrong. I. Understand and have been honoring my energy for a while now. And I still have moments of overwhelm. It's just a time for me to reflect. In human design, we have this thing called a not self theme. I say it's time for you to get into alignment. [00:21:09] You're out of alignment with your design. When you feel this. And as a manifesting generator, mine is. Anger and frustration. And a lot of times when I have those energies, I'm overwhelmed. So it gives me a chance to reflect and see how I can move forward. And when you surround yourself with a community and have a place where you can connect with them, it makes you feel supported that you're not alone in this because you're not you're here with me. [00:21:37] I'm so happy that you're taking the steps. In reducing your overwhelm and understanding your energy. I would love to know in the comments, which tip is going to be most helpful for you in practicing and how we reduce overwhelm. [00:21:51] ' cause I know. [00:21:52] Overwhelm is one of the things that kills our motivation. And you're meant to do big things. You're meant to follow your energy. And so let's. Leave overwhelm at the door and move forward in our highest self. [00:22:05] I just appreciate you and thank you so much for being here. [00:22:08] As we wrap up this episode, remember that hitting the like button, leaving a comment and sharing this content. You're not just supporting my channel. You are contributing to the flow of the seven universal laws. Together. We are cultivating a vibrant flowing stream of positivity and wisdom. [00:22:26] So keep riding that cosmic current, keep sharing the love and until our next rendezvous stay true to your unique flow. See you in the next adventure. We'll chat soon. [00:22:35] If you want to learn more, check the show notes and all the links mentioned at caradempsey.com/110.