Really?!? I'm feeling overwhelmed? Today?!?

Yep. Just a day after doing the blog on feeling overwhelmed, and it comes knocking on my door! Thank you, Universe! I get to practice what I preach.

Why the overwhelm? Well, I just agreed to go to the waterpark this afternoon with some family friends. I feel like I "should" stay at home and work on my website; that nasty rules and obligations trap!

The truth is that I've been working like a maniac on my business, getting ready for my TV Life Coaching segment debut on Thursday. Yes, there is more that I could do, but there's always more that can be done. Going and having fun for the evening is not going to hurt anything.

As a matter of fact it'll take my mind off the big day, and that's a good thing.

So if I switch the word overwhelm to powerless, I'm feeling powerless. But I'm not willing to give my power away to the waterpark. It's ridiculous to feel powerless, because I'm choosing to have some fun with my daughter and friends.

But it's not so ridiculous if I'm displacing the feeling. Maybe the feeling is just coming out, and the waterpark decision doesn't really have anything to do with it. I'm really feeling powerless about the whole TV event. I can't control what questions the new anchors ask me. I can't control how well the segment is received by viewers. I can't control whether the producer likes me enough to keep me around. When I don't have control, I don't feel like I have power.

It seems logical -- of course a person feels more powerful when he or she is in control! But I'm talking about personal power here, and NOTHING can change that. No matter what happens in that TV studio, I'm still me. I don't need to give my power away to the anchors, audience or producer. I only have to be me and do my best. I can always rely on my perfect self to be there, with all my gifts, talents, intelligence, creativity and skills. My perfect self always goes with the flow and comes out unscathed.

So what about this feeling of being powerless? It's just a feeling; it's not the truth. And as much as I'm willing to feel that emotion, I'm not willing to let it (or my caveman brain) run my life. I'm going to feel it, but not react from it. I'm going to keep my power, thank you -- and just do my work during the day and have fun swimming tonight!

Overwhelmed? Take back your power!

Overwhelmed! I hear the word several times each day and am even guilty of using it myself. Since I’ve been working with personal power, lately, I decided to look up the definition and see how overwhelm relates to power.


Sure enough, one of the definitions is “overpower.” Even more specifically “overpower: overcome with superior force.” Boy! If anything is going to put me into my caveman brain, it’s the thought that something’s going to overpower me with some type of superior force!

So every time that I use the word overwhelmed, I’m actually telling myself that I’m being beaten down. Which is exactly how it feels when I’m overwhelmed. I feel exhausted, hopeless, dazed, frantic and powerless.

I don’t know about you, but I don’t even want to use a word that’s going to conjure up and sustain those feelings. Yet I don’t want to make the word “overwhelm” my adversary, either ... hmmm ....

I think I’m going to stop throwing around this over-used, nearly-meaningless word. Instead, I’m going to be honest with myself. Every time that I want to use the word “overwhelm” I’m going to use “powerless” instead. Then I’m going to look around at what is making me feel powerless. Is it my schedule? Do I have too many arbitrary obligations? Where exactly have I been giving my power away?

Sometimes this analysis alone will probably bring me out of my caveman brain. I mean, am I really feeling powerless because my floor needs cleaning and my laundry needs folding? Puh-lease! I probably just don’t want to do it -- maybe rebellious is a better word! And if I’m being rebellious, then aren’t I actually exerting power?

In some cases, though, maybe I really am feeling powerless. Maybe I really did overschedule myself. Ironically, I used my power to create a busy schedule that ended up draining my power. Having that awareness can help me avoid doing the same thing in the future, but right now, it’s all about claiming back any power that I can.

First, I’m going to stop being a victim. I’m not going to let my schedule (for example) be my adversary. Instead, I’m going to accept my schedule completely. Instead of wallowing in feelings of overwhelm, I’m going to become a player in the “busy schedule game.” A successful player in that game feels vital, organized, focused and efficient. I’m going to let those feelings guide me and my actions. That’s a powerful player, and that’s the player I want to be.

What do you think? How are you going to take back your power?

Personal Power and Connection

Um, yeah ... so far, life is different since I've reclaimed my personal power.

I've been doing personal work for years (duh, I'm a life coach). But NEVER have I felt so comfortable in my skin.

First off, I've been talking to people like crazy! I'm not one to start many conversations with strangers, although I have been doing more of that. Mostly I've been keeping the conversations going instead of answering questions with a yes/no. Grocery cashiers, moms at the school, people in line with me ... you name it! I'm connecting here and there.

When I was a student in my coaching program, I had several assignments where I'd be connecting with strangers and acquaintances. I did it. I felt more "connected," and yet it still felt fake. This doesn't feel fake! This is just natural conversation.

I never realized how much I was still holding myself back - worried about acceptance, not wanting to say something stupid, not wanting to have my energy sucked away by someone else. I thought I'd conquered all of those fears and stressors, and yet there was a deeper level I hadn't even touched.

Personal Power in 2010

I just had the best massage in my life! I'm here on a Disney Cruise and Emerson from Portugal roughed me up in a good way.

Apparently he also got some emotional junk moving. I've heard that can happen with body and energy work, and it really seems like it happened to me this time. In the middle of the massage I felt like I was buzzing with energy.

And you know that John Mayer song, "Bigger than My Body?" The main hook is, "C I'm bigger than my body gives me credit for." Well I felt like I was filling the entire room -- much bigger than my body. I felt extremely powerful, and like I could tap into a power that was even bigger.

That's when it hit me; I always have this energy/power at my disposal, but I certainly don't feel like that all the time. So where have I given that power away?

Scenes from my life started flashing through my mind of all the kids at school who made fun of me. Of my parents' divorce. My fourth-grade teacher. The embarrassment that my family was on welfare and we used food stamps to pay for our groceries. Being too afraid to speak up and allowing my dad drive drunk with me in the car. Giving up on myself because finding a job in my field was harder than I thought it would be.

With each scene, I took my power back. I can't explain exactly how I did it ... it seems like I either verbally (in my head) told the person I was taking it back or I envisioned sucking it back into me. And with each scene, I felt like I was growing and expanding and encompassing the boat and the ocean and the sky.

It was amazing. I left the spa feeling more grounded and more centered than I've ever felt in my life. I'm left wondering if this feeling is temporary or if there really was some big shift that occurred inside of me. If it is a shift, I can't wait to see where it carries me in 2010! I'm ready to soar!!

Someday I'll fly.
Someday I'll soar.
Someday I'll be so much more,
Cause I'm bigger than my body gives me credit for.