This too shall pass

I don’t know about you but one thing I have noticed is that life seems to be cyclical in nature. I often go through times of intense pressures and stress from sheer load of work, clashes in diaries or bills all coming in at once.

This could happen to any of us and I’m sure it does. What we do at these times can make or break us and it can be the difference between feeling overwhelmed or seeing a way out.

I was reminded of the phrase, ‘This too shall pass’, as I pondered what to write about in today’s post. We can’t control what life throws at us but we can definitely determine our responses to them.

Recently, I went through a phase where I needed to do a lot of preparations for meetings, facilitate house moves and oversee some house renovations. There were times when it seemed like there was no end in sight and I would feel overwhelmed just thinking about all the actions that I needed to complete.

Knowing the ‘busy and challenging season’ would pass was a great help. So here are my thoughts on other things that helped.

Admit the size of your challenges

I find making a list of everything that I need to get done helps. Yes, it doesn’t feel great when I have twenty actions on my to-do-list but once they are all written down, they miraculously seem less daunting.

Take the first bite of your elephant

Look for an action to complete from your list and get it done. Take the next action and do the same. I start with the simpler actions and the more I get done, the happier and more in control I become. Soon enough I start to look forward to getting them all done with a growing sense of relief

Kiss your frog

There’s always that action that you dread and that’s your frog. You need to get it done as there’s only so much postponing that you can do. So take a bold step and kiss your frog. You will soon discover it’s not as ugly as you thought.

This could range from making a call that you dread, tidying a room after a messy teenager leaves home to doing your taxes. The important thing is to face it and get it done.

Some opt to kiss their frog first and get it over and done with while others will take several bites of their elephant so they can be in a better head space to kiss their frog. There is no right or wrong order so do whatever works for you.

Look for help

This can be as simple as finding someone to talk to, bouncing ideas with a colleague or finding a friend who can lend you a hand. You might need a mate to challenge your views or a mentor to push the barriers with you. The key is figuring out who the right person is and seeking them out.

Not everything needs to get done now

Although you have a long list, not everything on the list is urgent and they are definitely not equally important.

Figure out the most urgent and important tasks and get these done first. Cut yourself some slack on the rest and follow a schedule that will not push you over the edge.

Invest in some ‘me time’

How do you start your day? Do you wake up and think about all the ‘dreadful stuff’?

The way you start your day can determine how good or bad the day ends up being. There’s a good way to start your day.

Recognising that a new day is a gift and another opportunity to get things right is a great way to start your day.

Being grateful for a new day, meditating on words that fill you with hope, courage and love are all essential to investing in yourself. What do you meditate on?

Whatever is good, pure, honest and of a good report are the sort of things we need to think of and focus on. Meditate on words filled with life and hope.

As you start your week, keep in mind that whatever you’re going through will pass. Busy schedules will pass. Financial challenges will pass. Bad relationships will get better, sickness will give way to health, tears will give way to joy again. Children will grow up and the mess will be cleared.

So don’t give up or give in to despair because this too shall pass.

Thanks for reading my post. Please share with others and I will see you next week.