I woke up this morning feeling completely overwhelmed, no idea why but I did. For a few hours I tried to brush it off, but I couldn’t.
“Am I doing OK as a businessman”
“Are my team happy”
“Maybe I need to lose a few lbs”
“Am I doing enough for my clients”
All of these thoughts were rushing through my head and I have no idea where they came from but they were there and there was no escaping so I had to deal with it.
I’m super lucky that Gem can instantly tell when I’m like this (typically before I even recognise it myself) so she suggested that it’s probably best I take some time out. Probably because I annoy the shit out of her when I’m like that aha.
The first step to getting a clear head was to have some ‘me time’ (no not like that… aha). I sat myself in the office, stuck my headphones on and listened to a book whilst taking notes. Not only does reading give me self development which I enjoy, it’s also time that I don’t think of anything else and my mind settles down.
45 minutes later of reading, learning, a good cup of tea and I’m thinking logically again but I need to address my thoughts that I was having earlier.
Overwhelm is typically being worried about something that we do not know is true. Here’s an example for you…
“I don’t want to start at a gym, I won’t be able to do it”
Starting at a gym is scary and many people are overwhelmed prior to starting. Here’s the thing though, can you prove that you can’t do it?
Can you prove that you won’t be able to do it? Yes or no?
It’s a no. You can’t prove it until you have at least given it a go.
So in this instance a thought is stopping you from achieving your goal of weight loss (if that’s your goal).
Just a thought. Let that sink in for a minute.
The next step for me is to answer all of the questions and doubts that I have with the facts.
“Am I doing Ok as a businessman”
I look back on statistics and what’s been achieved personally and professionally from the past year and work it out with facts. If it’s all good, great, continue as I am and stop worrying, If it’s not, what can I do to improve.
This process lets me deal with the facts, not thoughts and emotion and it was an absolute game changer learning this process a few years ago from a guy that mentored me.
2 years ago, the thought of putting videos of me on social media scared the hell out of me. I was completely overwhelmed of the thought of being judged by my peers (yes, really!) and that thought was stopping me from reaching and helping more people achieve their health and fitness goals.
The moment I realised that I can’t prove that my peers are judging me and even if they are, who cares? They are not who I create content for. That was the moment that helped me grow personally and Impact as a business.
So the next time you feel a little overwhelmed, take a step back and analyse why. Write down your thoughts and question them.
Believe me when I say this, it will 100% help you 🙂
Richard Gunter
Owner – Impact Personal Training
