Overwhelmed, Take a breath, Start again.

 We all get overwhelmed and it's not necessarily the big things that do it.  Most of the time it's all the small stuff, it all just adds up.   The straw and the camel thing.  Sure, there are overwhelming facts, huge life-changing events, a new job, marriage, moving, buying a house, a car, and a new baby, all of that are completely recognizable as potential overwhelming events. 

But in reality, it's the small stuff most of the time.  Having to run to the post office. Put a new tab on your car, unload the dishwasher, clean the kitchen, get another roll of TP, and prep the coffee maker the night before.  Making the bed, putting real clothes on, brushing your teeth.  All little insignificant things take little effort and little time, but they do take effort and time.  They add up and eventually, you just don't want to anymore.  

One day at a time. One thing at a time.  What is the one thing that must be done today?  Just do that thing.  Breathe.  See where it takes you.  Sometimes just getting out of bed to have coffee is enough motivation.  It is enough to get dressed or have breakfast.  That may lead to the next thing and the next thing.  

Self-motivation only works for so long.  Then even that is too much. Binge-watching shows we don’t really like, eating mac n cheese out of the pan/microwave, staying in the same outfit for days.  Is this depression?  Do we need help?  Or do we need to find a way to let it all go, be kind to ourselves and realize everything is going to be ok.

Throw out the to-do list.  Do the one thing that has to be done that day.  Do something nice for yourself and go from there.  Be kind to yourself.  You still have today.  You are breathing and that, in itself, is something to celebrate.  Who gives a f*** what others want or expect!  You do you.

Yes, it is the little things that get us.  The devil is in the details.  But it can also be the little things that save us. Just make a cup of tea.  Just put on pants.  Just read one email. Just bring in the mail. Just do that one thing. The one little thing.  The thing that takes no effort, no time, no real thought.  Let that one little thing be the one straw removed from the camel.

Remember, no matter how bad it is in your head, the world will keep turning.  The sun will come up.  Tomorrow, the next hour, or in 5 minutes there is a new beginning.  You can start over and try again.