What’s weighing me down? This is a question that came up for me at the end of a powerful three-day leadership workshop that I attended last month. It was one of those simple, yet profound questions. I instantly thought of two or three challenges that had been taking up a lot of mental and energetic space for months. Space that could be freed up to allow more creativity and energy to reach my goals and ultimately greater inner peace.
The solution became clear, I needed to take action! When we get overwhelmed or are trying to solve a problem, it can be easy to stay stuck in a place of inaction. It’s when we take action that the solutions often start to present themselves.
Here are three steps to let go of what’s weighing you down so you can move forward with greater inner peace:
Do An Inventory
What thoughts are taking up regular space in your mind? The ones that are draining your energy or causing overwhelm. Write these down. Simply writing down the decisions, to-do lists, or stories that are replaying in your mind can provide an instant pressure valve release.
Research shows that writing down what’s on your mind can reduce stress and improve health. There is great power in taking your thoughts and putting them into writing.
In my experience, writing thoughts down opens up new possibilities. It becomes clear if there’s an action that needs to be taken or if there’s something that can be released. It could mean releasing a stressful thought and instead trusting the process and being comfortable with the unknown or simply choosing a direction.
Take Action
What can you do about it? Next, write down the action(s) you can take for each item that you wrote down. These are actions that will give you a sense of moving forward with each one, getting closer to a resolution, or achieving a goal.
Assess what you need in order to take action. This could look like getting support from a coach or loved one, resources, more information, or sending out a message. We often know what the next step is, though we have become paralyzed with uncertainty or fear of what may happen once that action is taken. This can also be a fear of success — achieving what you want leads to taking more actions and making more decisions, further stretching your comfort zone.
“Fear is a natural reaction to moving closer to the truth” ― Pema Chodron
Feeling overwhelmed? Take one small step in the direction that you want to go. Often that’s all it takes to move out of procrastination and build confidence.
Steve Garguilo, author of “Surge: Your Guide to Put Any Idea Into Action” shares that action is a muscle. Like any exercise you’d do to get stronger, flexing your action muscle makes you stronger and more confident each time you take action.
Clarity comes from taking action. It’s like that sigh of relief you get when the solution finally presents itself, freeing up your energy to take on the next decision. Through action we become more resilient, learn how to overcome challenges, and future actions become easier.
Compassion and Celebration
Taking an honest look at what you wish you had already accomplished or a conversation you regret not having sooner, can bring up some discomfort. As part of this process, it’s important to also have compassion for yourself. Give yourself permission to have not been ready to tackle a challenge sooner. Sometimes waiting for better timing is the best decision, but you won’t see that until it’s hindsight. Focusing on what you can do now will keep you moving forward.
It’s incredibly motivating to celebrate the actions you take, the smallest action can have a tremendous impact — celebrate that! Celebrate with friends, colleagues, and family. Have someone give you a high-five today (virtual high-fives count)!
When you can acknowledge what’s weighing you down and get those thoughts written down along with the actions you can take, it will give you a sense of control in aligning with what’s true for you. Inner peace comes from knowing that you have the power to change — your state of mind or your actions. You have the power to move towards your goals and what you value.
