Overwhelm

When was the last time you experienced overwhelm?

For me, I negotiate with overwhelm on a daily (almost hourly) basis. In fact, I'm dancing with it right now as I try to write this. What do you say when you don't know what to say? What do you say when you can, in fact, say anything?

Here's something I've come to believe that helps; the flip side of overwhelm is an abundance of opportunity. It's a paradox that is fed by another, human beings are most comfortable with certainty, but we feel most alive with uncertainty.

Yes, too often, there are too many choices, and most of the time, there are no guarantees that any one of them is the best, or even a better, choice. At the same time, what a privilege to have options to consider and decisions to make. This sounds like something to be grateful for, not gripe about.

And the thing about choices is they want to be chosen. Instead of being driven inert or into hiding by the overwhelming array of opportunities, what if you merely got on with it and chose?

Sure, choose on purpose. Make a choice that aligns with who you are, where you want to go, and what difference you want to make. But in the end, whatever you choose doesn't matter a lick until you act on that choice.

And then guess what? You'll be in a new situation with a new array of choices and a decision to make. You can choose to be overwhelmed or blessed with an abundance of opportunities. What do you choose today?

Scott Perry, Difference-Maker Coach at Creative on Purpose.

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