Jun 26, 20214 min read

Episode 69: Releasing Overwhelm

Summary:

This episode is the second in a series about releasing the mental weight with weight loss. Often what causes us to overeat or over drink are general life issues and this series is designed to take a closer look at what those are and what we can do about it. In this episode Molly focuses her attention on overwhelm.

Overwhelmed is an indulgent emotion, by giving in we are spending our mental, emotional and physical energy on a practiced pattern that keeps us trapped in our thoughts. If we want to make progress, especially in terms of weight loss, it is crucial that we focus our energy on the actual problem instead of indulging in a feeling that will send us off track. Molly takes a critical look at what causes the feeling of overwhelmed and shares key insights into how we can release this emotion.

Feeling overwhelmed keeps us in a scarcity mindset. It leads us to believe that we are so far behind that we are at the mercy of an outside force. It is disempowering and as a result can make it difficult to break out of the habit of feeling this way. Molly takes an honest look at what causes the feeling, how we can reclaim our power over it and tangible steps we can take to control our priorities and keep sight of our goals.

If you’re interested in the support or accountability a one-on-one coach provides, you can set up a free discovery call with Molly here.

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Topics Covered

It’s helpful to understand why we feel compelled to eat instead of doing the work to solve our actual problems.
Once you take advantage of the opportunity to work with a coach you can overcome the feeling of being overwhelmed and begin to stay on track.
Where does overwhelmed come from?
- Definition: To be buried or drowned beneath a huge mass. In relation to time or feeling. More often than not clients struggle with this feeling because of their scheduling and by time.
- You are operating in a scarcity mindset: you believe there is not enough time, or hours in a day to keep up. It shows up as busyness, desperate energy. You feel like you’re at the mercy of an outside force which is disempowering.
What does overwhelmed create?
- Keeps you stuck and spinning. The more you think these thoughts the more you exacerbate the feeling and do not make progress.
- For clients this means not staying up on your eating and drinking goals and the plan that you have for yourself. It means not prioritizing time to relax in different ways and to experience pleasure in new ways.
- It’s a practiced pattern but it doesn’t actually get you ahead.
- Frantic hurried decisions like you are constantly in a rush causes mindless eating and drinking because you are operating spontaneously
It’s optional, you have control
One thought to practice: there is more than enough time
- It’s possible I can get the essential things done today
- It’s possible I can get three things off my list today
The way you start to get a handle over your time:
- Be clear about what your priorities actually are – consider your top five
- Make decisions about your time in advance, especially when you are considering what to eat in a day
- Make choices to support that priority
  - What are the essential things that matter most for tomorrow and how can I plan accordingly? Just by going through that exercise is going to help you feel more in control of your time.
Another reason people feel overwhelmed is because of feelings: Grief & Anxiety
- If you’re somebody going through something like grief, there is a difference between processing and indulging
- Those thoughts are not the same thing as the sadness itself. It’s a physical vibration in the body. Pay attention to your body and notice how the feeling is felt physically.
- Be deliberate about going about your day and accomplishing the goals that you have for your day.
If you’re someone who is genuinely weighed down and unable to get through your daily life then reach out to a therapist and find someone who can give you the resources to handle and process the emotions.

Key Quotes

“If we put the emphasis on food we miss the opportunity to do the real work. The real work is learning the reasons why you are turning to food.”
“Overwhelmed is very much a natural response of the primitive brain”
“When you are stuck in a feeling like being overwhelmed then that is a sign you are indulging in a feeling that is not actually useful”
“It really is a choice to feel this way but most of us don’t recognize that it is a choice because it is so believable in the moment.”
“When you’re feeling overwhelmed and you feel like you’re at the mercy of time, usually the way this shows up is by abandoning your plan completely by not prioritizing anything that is important to you.”
“There is no finish line. People who get stuck in overwhelm think that it’s just one thing after another and practice this belief over and over again.”
“When you get stuck in a feeling of overwhelm and you feel like you’re at the mercy of your time then eating and drinking becomes me time, it becomes a way to get immediate relief from the craziness you’re experiencing in your life. It’s just a product of your own thinking.
“That’s the power of your thoughts. What you think is what you create for yourself in your life.”
“Your commitment to yourself is what is going to make all of those other goals happen.”
“There is a difference between processing a feeling and indulging in it.”
“There is room for you to have a plan for yourself even when you’re experiencing challenging emotions like grief or sadness or anxiety.”
“The problem with feelings of overwhelm and worry is that they really drain your mental and physical energy. Not only are they not productive and helpful but they use up a lot of physical and mental energy and you feel driven to want to eat and drink.”