The Three Levels of Overwhelm in Motherhood [Episode 254]

I recently listened to a group of mothers share their feelings of overwhelm, and I absolutely identified with their thoughts. 

The things that they found overwhelming fell into three levels of overwhelm:

1. Getting Things Done

2. Our Homes and Keeping People Alive

3. Our Thoughts

When we feel overwhelmed, it can be hard to slow down and identify what is really causing our stress. Over the years, as I’ve peeled back the layer, I’ve realized that there were lots of different skill sets that I needed to develop. 

All three of these can come with a pretty steep learning curve (at least it was for me) when you have a child. 

I’ve learned over the years that when I find myself struggling to slow down and look at how I’m doing with my foundation, the three pillars of thriving.

First, Vision. Do I have clarity about where I actually want to go next and what my next baby steps are? If not, I need to slow down and prayerfully consider what is next with God and then start moving in a clear direction.

Second, Structure. What can I do to simplify the things that are overwhelming me right now? What is one tiny system or habit we can put in place to make things a little bit better? 

Third, Soul. What are my thoughts? Are they true or a cognitive distortion? Have I prayed for a paradigm shift to see things differently?

So often, when I am overwhelmed, it is easy to fall into feeling like a victim. What I love about focusing on the three pillars of thriving is that it puts me back in my circle of influence and gets me to the root of the problem. 

In this week’s episode, I’m sharing what we can do to address each of these areas of overwhelm and tips on how to strengthen your pillars.