A really simple exercise to clear your mind and find clarity
19th March 2020
The other day, I was talking to a friend who was feeling really flat and overwhelmed by routine and the general workload of life. As I was talking to her and trying to help her find a way forward I spoke about the simple technique that I use when I feel overwhelmed and totally snowed under by Life. So I thought to share it with you too.
Sometimes Life gets on top of us. It really can be too much to juggle, and the pace that most people live their lives can be the final nail on the coffin. Too much, too fast.
What’s needed is to take a minute. A hot drink on our own, without distractions. Sometimes feeling overwhelmed can be a sign that there’s something we ought to change; something else we need to be doing, a different direction, a new challenge. We just need to take some time to listen.
Here’s the really simple exercise that my dad taught me that I find really clears my mind and helps me find clarity:
- Take a piece of paper in landscape
- Draw a circle in the middle and write your name in it (or draw yourself if you’re good at drawing!)
- Write all the general topics that are swimming around in your head in a circle around the centre (e.g. work, relationships, money, etc.)
- Under each topic, write the specific things that are worrying you about that particular area
And that’s it! This simple exercise of just dumping all the stuff that swims around in your head, like ghosts flying in a haunted house, is enough to provide some space and relief from that overwhelming feeling that comes from doing too much at too fast a pace. Mental decluttering at its best!
You’ll now have the headspace to observe all the things that you’ve written on your piece of paper, deciding if there are any that are not serving you well anymore, and of any other changes you may like to make.
It’s simple but it really works. Try it and tweet me to let me know if it worked for you. See you next time!