SOLEPATH FOR REAL LIFE
Why Does Everything Feel So Overwhelming?
When even the smallest things begin to feel like too much.
There are people who need you, things that must be done, decisions waiting to be made, and responsibilities that never seem to end.
Sometimes you’re managing everything reasonably well. And sometimes, without much changing on the outside, it all feels overwhelming.
Before deciding what needs to change, it can help to understand what matters most to you.
A MOMENT FOR YOURSELF
Six Questions Worth
Asking Yourself
There are no right or wrong answers.
Take your time. Notice which situations leave you feeling overwhelmed, and what those experiences may tell you about your natural character.
Sometimes overwhelm is a sign that we are carrying too much. Sometimes it also tells us that something important to us has been crowded out.
When does life stop feeling enjoyable?
Do I become overwhelmed when there’s so much to do that I no longer have time for the things I enjoy?
Perhaps you naturally enjoy activity, variety, people and new experiences. But when everything becomes an obligation, even things you once looked forward to can begin to feel exhausting.
Something to notice: What brings enjoyment and energy into your life, and when did you last make room for it?
Am I carrying too much for other people?
Do I feel overwhelmed because I’m constantly thinking about what everyone else needs?
Perhaps caring comes naturally to you. You notice when someone is struggling, remember what needs doing and want the people around you to be happy and well. But sometimes the needs of others can fill so much of your life that there’s little room left for your own.
Something to notice: What are you doing out of love, and what have you come to believe you must do?
Do I feel responsible for making everything work?
Do I become overwhelmed when there are too many things depending on me?
Perhaps you naturally like to contribute, accomplish things and make a difference. You may be the person who organises, encourages or keeps things moving. But when every task feels important, it can become difficult to know what deserves your attention first.
Something to notice: Which responsibilities are genuinely yours, and which have you taken on because you know you can?
Do I need to understand everything before I can move forward?
Do I sometimes feel overwhelmed by too much information, too many decisions or not knowing enough?
Perhaps you naturally like to understand things thoroughly, think through possibilities and make well-considered choices. But when there’s too much to work out, your desire to understand can leave you feeling stuck.
Something to notice: Where might knowing enough, rather than knowing everything, allow you to take the next step?
Do I feel overwhelmed when I have no room to do things my way?
Do I become frustrated or exhausted when my time, choices or activities are constantly directed by other people?
Perhaps you naturally value independence, freedom and the opportunity to follow your own interests and instincts. When life becomes a series of demands and interruptions, you may feel that you’ve lost touch with yourself.
Something to notice: Where in your life do you most need space, freedom or the opportunity to choose for yourself?
Have I lost touch with what really matters to me?
Do I sometimes feel overwhelmed because I’m so caught up in everyday demands that life has begun to feel disconnected from what gives it meaning?
Perhaps you naturally seek depth, understanding, purpose or a sense of connection to something greater than everyday routines. When there’s no time to reflect, even a full and successful life can begin to feel strangely empty.
Something to notice: What helps you reconnect with what gives your life meaning, peace or a sense of purpose?
Would you like space to reflect on your answers?
Download the Six Questions Handout (PDF)NOTICE THE PATTERNS
What do your answers tell you about you?
As you look back over your answers, you may begin to recognise that overwhelm isn’t always about having too much to do.
Sometimes it’s about having too little room for what naturally matters to you.
You may need enjoyment, opportunities to care without becoming depleted, a more manageable sense of responsibility, time to think, freedom to choose, or space to reconnect with what gives your life meaning.
And sometimes the demands really are too great. Asking for help, sharing responsibilities or making space to rest can be important too.
The qualities that help you contribute so much to life can sometimes be the very qualities that leave you feeling overwhelmed.
The answer isn’t necessarily to change who you are. It may be to understand yourself well enough to make choices that fit who you are.
KNOW YOUR SOLEPATH
There are two ways to
know your SolePath.
CHARACTER
SolePath Discovery
Explore the character you’ve developed through your experiences, relationships and choices.
TEMPERAMENT
SolePath Measuring
Explore the temperament beneath your learned patterns: your natural ways of responding.
They reveal different things about you, and your character braid and temperament braid are often different.
Know Your SolePathALREADY KNOW YOUR SOLEPATH?
Take the questions further.
Bring overwhelm into your SolePath Companion
Bring a real situation, a question or a pattern you’ve noticed. Companion can help you explore it in the context of your own SolePath.
Why do I feel overwhelmed when other people seem to manage similar demands?
How might my Joyful Path shape what gives me energy and what drains it?
What might my DarkPath reveal about how I respond when life feels like too much?
How might my Progression Path help me make choices that fit who I am?
You don’t need to follow a programme.