What’s your bandwidth right now? What’s your capacity to deal with the situations before you? Many of us aren’t in touch with this. We think that we can handle more on our plate without adjusting to make room for it. We think that “should,” or motivation, equals capability.
But we each have different energy levels and mindsets. We have different amounts of sleep we need, different health challenges, and different schedule demands. Some of us have difficult jobs. Some have young children. Some have an aging parent to care for. Some have higher levels of anxiety or depression.
So, do you want more lasting power? More strength to deal with the moment? Then you’re going to have to find ways to operate within your capacity. Here are three steps that will help you do that.
1.TAKE INVENTORY. Did you know that we have “dashboard indicators," just like a car? We just don’t look at them often. Here are some internal meters you should check: energy vs fatigue, good will vs short fuse, flexibility vs resistance to change, calmness vs stress, feeling good vs health challenges, free time vs committed time. Picture where your needle would point in each of these indicators. When your needles are “in the red,” you’re at capacity. And the more they’re “in the black,” the more resilience you’ll have.
2. ADJUST. The good news is that you can make changes to increase your capacity. Much of this is about creating space. Let go of something in your schedule, and you’ll be able to pace yourself better. Declutter, and quit procrastinating, and you’ll have room to breathe. Have that talk with that person, and you won’t feel so preoccupied. And here’s a novel idea: go to bed earlier, and you’ll have more energy!
The key here is to find your steel backbone. You can do this! Look at the costs of the way you’ve been doing things and the benefits of setting yourself up to win. Then buckle down and make those changes.
3. REFUEL. Another way to increase your capacity is to replenish. What fills your tank? What is restorative? What brings deep relaxation? What suffuses you with well-being? What makes you feel invigorated and joyful? Go for quality. This isn’t just an opportunity to veg, it’s an opportunity to nourish your inner self.
Once you know what replenishes you, be intentional to do it. Make sure there’s a chunk of downtime in your week. And then think of ways to have little pick-me-ups in your days.
IN CONCLUSION, so yes, you’re having a 2020 day, week, or month. Again! Yikes! How do you continue to handle the stress? Manipulate your schedules and environment so you’re set up to win.
Learn from endurance athletes. They fuel and hydrate themselves. They pace themselves. They take into account the course conditions, the weather conditions, and their physical condition. Doing this allows them to make it through the finish line in good shape.
You can do the same. I totally believe in you! And if you need any additional support, I am here for you. broadtreecoaching@gmail.com. https://square.site/book/7QYE8SFQ54E7J/broad-tree-coaching