What to do when you’ve over-committed

Happy Christmas Eve! Or if December 24th is just another day for you, Happy Dec 24th!

Now, I’m going to be completely transparent here.

It’s possible I’ve over-committed myself. 🤪

Just because I teach about this topic doesn’t mean I’m immune to it. In fact, I think it’s so valuable that I’m in this situation because then I know exactly how my clients feel AND I know precisely which tools, mindsets, and strategies will make a difference. 

Consider my over-committment as my gift to you so that you can benefit from how I’m navigating through it. 🎁

You’re so welcome.

To give you an idea of my over-commitment, here’s a small sample of what’s on my plate right now (actually, it’s more of a buffet table). 

I’m going to use stars for each point to bring levity to the situation.

⭐️revamping my Courageous Self-Care offerings (streamlining things into two fabulous options; I’m so excited and right now, it’s so messy!)

⭐️somehow that lead to revamping the brand (new logos, new languaging, new website updates)

⭐️creating a funnel for one of the new options and taking a very involved two-month course to execute it well

⭐️editing two books

⭐️working with 3 dozen coaching/BEST clients 

⭐️hosting 4 virtual events in the next 2 weeks

⭐️planning a retreat in Panama for the spring (1 spot left!)

⭐️Christmas (just one word but so oh-so-many things to do)

Can you relate? I bet if you wrote out all the things you have on your plate/buffet table, it would also be quite monumental. 🏔

So what’s a highly-productive, high-achiever to do? (Note: we don’t use the word over-achiever as we don’t want to be over-doing this and over-doing that; high achieving is much more doable.) I have many suggestions, but in honour of simplicity rather than overwhelm, we’ll go with three ideas today. (If you want more, please check out my Instagram where I’ll be posting brief teachings on how to gracefully move through overwhelm.)

For now, lay your eyes 👀upon my… 

TOP 3 TIPS ON WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU’VE OVER-COMMITTED:

TIP #1: Self-care is still priority Number 1 🦋

Do not, I repeat DO NOT give up your self-care rituals. This is the most important time to keep them up. 

You will not be more productive if you skip your spiritual centering practices. 

Even though my list of Want-To-Do’s is extensive, I’m still doing my daily meditation, yoga, breathwork, walk, and handful of other rituals. They keep me calm, peaceful, and steady.

Plus, it’s the time of year (at least in this hemisphere) where we have more darkness than light. It’s an incredible opportunity to go within and everytime you do, results get amplified and supported by these holy-days. 

There’s no way I’d pass up amplified results that Nature is offering. I’m all about maximizing my efforts so if there’s extra energy coming in to boost my efforts… yes please!

TIP #2 Curiously observe what lead to the situation 🧐

If you’ve been over-committed before and you find yourself there again, it’s worth exploring how you got there. Be curious rather than judgemental. 

I’ve observed that my enthusiastic, heartfelt yes’s are mostly what has filled my buffet table. 

I’m keen to help, support, and make a difference while doing what I love. 

Having the awareness of my tendency to say yes is helping me make more discerning choices. 

Great Choice #1: I was recently chatting with a woman who organizes events all over the world and it sounded like there was an opportunity to get involved. 

Although I wanted to jump aboard and support her cause, I pressed my lips together and said nothing. 

Great Choice #2: Then, along came an opportunity to join a membership to support my business. I went back to the sales page several times, watching the timer count down. I didn’t enroll.

Great Choice #3: Part of the coaching I do is for Your Year of Miracles and I had said I could take more clients next year than I had in 2024. What came through intuitively though, was that I needed to reduce that number. So I did. (I’m so grateful for learning this obvious but very powerful teaching: It’s okay to change your mind.)

With all of these examples, trust is a key factor. I’m trusting my inner guidance. I’m trusting my energy. I’m trusting that I don’t need to do ALL THE THINGS and help ALL THE PEOPLE to make a difference. I just need to do a few things really well. 

By being a curious observer, I’ve been able to break some patterns, show up differently, and gain even more clarity on how I contribute.

TIP #3: Do a Brain Dump 🧠

I love a good brain dump. I do one every few months when I notice my thoughts swirling around like a murky bog, trying to remember all the things to be done. 

Although seeing everything listed in my journal can seem daunting, it feels much better to me to have it all in one place rather than in a tornado in my mind. Plus, checking things off feels fantastic. 

I put my brain dump in my journal and then come back to it occasionally to bring items onto my weekly/daily lists. 

Other times, I’ll come back to a brain dump a few weeks or months later and see that many - if not most - of the things got done. I feel like it’s because I cleared up the space in my head and rather than just trying to remember what to do, I could use that extra energy to actually get the things done. 

There you have it - my ideas on how to move through overwhelm/being over-committed with as much grace as possible. 

I hope it’s helpful for you. 

Lots of exciting stuff coming over the next few months. I’m very much looking forward to sharing it with you. 

I’m wishing you clear recognition of your own inner light at the darkest time of the year. May your celebrations be meaningful and joyful.

With bright love and considerable courage,

Christina

>Creator of Courageous Self-Care

>woke up this morning from a dream where I was so stressed because I had booked two massage appointments at the same time and was trying to get from one to the other - an abundance of goodness can still be overwhelming!

>and why did my dream self need two massages? because my waking self is still oh-so-sore from the 108 sun salutations I did on the solstice - too funny! 🤣 

PS - Here’s something that helps with overwhelm/over-commitment: The Year End Review. Give yourself the gift of pausing to exhale and gather the goodness from the year through conscious reflection. We’ll be answering fantastic questions that will help you know yourself more deeply, see what’s working, and help you make informed choices on how to move into 2025 with clarity and renewed energy. Click here for details

PPS - What are you doing for New Year’s Eve? (ideally sung like Ella Fitzgerald) How about a conscious celebration to bring in the power of ritual so that you can easily let go of the old and call in the new with awareness and openness. Click here for details

PPPS - We’ve got one more 9D Breathwork Journey happening this year; Full Reset. This revitalizing journey acts as a cornerstone for sustained growth and recovery, fortifying the emergence of your genuine self. Welcome deep-seated freedom, augmenting your existence with renewed intent and boundless potential. Doesn’t that sound amazing? Click here for details

As I’ve mentioned before, I can only take so much Christmas music. My son really loves it, though (because he’s only had 16 Christmasses - not 48) and has been requesting that we play it in the morning. 

Usually we play peaceful, calming music first thing and so the Christmas tunes (mainly of Michael Bublé) have felt a little jarring.

My solution has been to switch the music once Oakley leaves for school. To recover from Jingle Bells, I’ve been enjoying Dan Gibson’s Illumination album of Peaceful Gregorian Chants.

It feels uplifting, sacred, and special for perfect for these holy-days where we call upon our inner light to shine during the darkest time of the year. I especially love the birdsong that weaves throughout the music. This whole album feels like a big sigh of relief and a portal to inner peace. 

I hope you enjoy it too.