Dear P.C.,

Welcome! *LOL* I often say this simple words to friends, family and clients to let them know (in a light-hearted way) that they’re not alone. Change is overwhelming! Doesn’t it always feel like the initial momentum, list-making, idea-storm fades so quickly? Yeah. I feel you!

So, what’s a girl (or guy!) to do when she’s made all of her lists, has had tons of ideas, but has absolutely no idea what’s next? Here are some things that have worked for me. Not everything will feel right for you, but I wanted to share multiple steps, so you can pick and choose what will work best for you!

STOP!
Stop adding things to lists, stop making lists, stop beating yourself up for not doing anything on the lists. Take a moment and look at everything you’ve come up with – all of the ideas, all of the brainstorms, all of it. Appreciate it. Express some gratitude for it. Acknowledge that even though you feel like you haven’t started, you really have done a lot!

BREATHE!
I know, you’re probably sick of hearing me say this, but seriously folks, I know when I’m most stressed or frustrated, I totally forget to do this. Sometimes taking a few big, deep breaths is unbelievably beneficial.

FEEL!
Sit with everything you’ve already come up with. Re-read the lists. See if they still feel true. Prioritize the tasks. Slowly go over everything you want to do, and pay attention to what you feel in your body. I’m betting you’ll notice a more physical reaction to some of the ideas and tasks. That’s your body telling you that those are the “biggies”. The most important. The biggest truths.

REDUCE!
Tragically, I’m not Super Woman. Sometimes I wish I could do everything and be perfect, but clearly, that’s just crazy talk! The best parts of life are the parts we enjoy, so let’s focus on those. Using the FEEL! exercise above, ditch the ideas and lists that don’t generate a strong physical feeling. If ditching them altogether doesn’t feel comfortable, you can always come back to them later.

REFOCUS!
Now that you have a more focused list of ideas and tasks, refocus. Look at them again and dig in. These are the most important things to you – your greatest truths. What better place to focus your energy?!

Much of the work I do with clients focus on noticing. It’s always the place we start, and for those of you like me (kinda Type A, kinda controlling, etc.!), it’s sometimes more difficult than taking action. Action is what we live for, but like P.C., that momentum only lasts so long. I’ve had great success, personally, by following the steps above, and have started sharing this philosophy with my clients. You’d be surprised what your body already knows, when you just slow down enough to listen to it.

I hope these ideas provide some benefit, P.C. As always, feel free to check in at a later date, and know that this whole community is supporting you.

As always, thanks for being on this journey with me.

?, Lara