Take tiny steps when you are bogged down. Any path to success incudes detours, getting lost, periods of overwhelm and other set backs. That’s part of life. Your job is to figure out what to do when you get mired down.
One of the easiest strategies for success at this point, is to take tiny, tiny action steps. Take a time out from judging yourself. These tiny steps need to be very easy to do.
A friend just asked for help to get her bedroom cleaned up. She took two little tiny steps. She talked with a friend about her desire to clean her room. For years she had been unable to clean. Later she revealed that she had gone to therapy and many doctors trying to find out why she had such a low energy level. A low level of vitamin B 12 had kept her exhausted for years. Now she could address the room, but she was in overwhelm.
Picking up the phone to call me was a second small action step. She had to face down her shame, make a decision to ask for help, and gather the courage to let someone else see her room. So those were bigger chunks, but dialing my phone number was a tiny step that she could do.
She was very smart. She told me from past experience she could only work an hour and a half, then we would need to clean up the disorder we would make while we were organizing. Brilliant. She suggested we do two days back to back with that schedule.
It worked. We got an amazing amount done in those four hours. She has her room back, though not done, it has so significantly improved, that she is full of hope.
During this year of 2013, every single person who is a part of my personal support system had gone through some major ordeal; illness of a parent, death of a step-parent, death of a parent, termination from a job, decision to leave a job, moving a recacitrant partner off one’s property, major surgery, a cancer scare. Me, I have just been sad, lonely, and sick a lot. Yep. I too get discouraged.
I’ve seen people in a lot of stress this past year. I saw people who were discouraged and had lost their resilience to cope. Taking a very tiny easy step once, then another time, and then another time is a strategy for when you have very low energy and enthusiasm.
The Universe comes to support you when you do this. When my roommate lost her job, I went with her for moral support to visit some social service agencies. While I was there, I asked a question for myself, and got given many leads for advice and free consultations about figuring out health care coverage. The choices were bewildering, but with one very tiny step each time, I made it through the maze and came out receiving help that I had not imagined was available.
I needed to update my site here. When my daughter asked me on a recent visit how I was, I told her how stuck I felt with some technology issues. She volunteered to update my site as a thank you for all the pruning I had done for her.
That progress has opened the door to revamping this web site. So I chose two colors I liked, and then my daughter gave me some recommendations for ways to have my site more readable by Iphones, tablets and other devices. I chose one. There are a few more decisions to make and then my daughter will upgrade. One of my favorite readers called and offered her help with marketing. I needed help, and the Universe brought it to me.
In summary, when you are stuck:
1. Make an intention to make some tiny movement forward.
2. Choose a tiny step that you can do easily. (ride with a friend to an appointment, make a telephone call, tell someone you are stuck, get up and write this article instead of just think about it)
3. Don’t be attached to the outcome. Yesterday, I was sick of my hair. It needed to be cut. I chose someone to call. They were not available (it is New Year’s Eve). I called my regular hairdresser. He called me back and made time for me today.
4. Follow the momentum of the energy. I decided to have my hair colored as well. It will help me feel better.
5. Be open to the support of the Universe. I suspect my hair dresser is coming in just for me. Getting to add color to my hair makes it worth his while.
6. Accept help as it is offered.
7. Savor progress and support that you receive.
8. Affirm that you took a tiny step and that it counted.
9. Look for another tiny step to take.
10. Repeat steps 1 through 9.
And remember that this time will pass.
Celebrate the end of this year. Choose something to let go of. I think I will let go of my melancholy. Best wishes to you.