Shift From Overwhelm to Calm

How have you been this past week?

I felt blessed… grateful for the snow that turned the pine tree in our backyard into Christmas 🙂

In Nashville, two inches of snow closes the schools. With four inches, you make banana bread and another cup of hot tea, and you breathe long breaths because the world around you becomes still (we didn’t get any mail, deliveries, the trash hasn’t been picked up, and most of our neighbors’ cars were left unmoved).

My schedule didn’t change much – it was just as full with tasks, dinners, bills, Zoom meetings, coaching sessions, piano playing, and attending online classes. But everything, like the trees outside my windows, had a layer of Calm over it.

I loved watching Blais sleep in the mornings, completely guilt-free, and then pick up his sled and hang out with friends.

But then, Friday came, the sun started melting the snow, and he sat in my office feeling overwhelmed.

“I wish there was a magic button that I could press and make all the pressure and expectations and drama disappear,” he said, “like when I was little and everything was easy and there was no stress.”

I put my arms around him and I wanted to tell him that all was well, while knowing that no matter how much I wished it to be, I didn’t have the power to make it all go away.

So instead, I held him close and stayed silent for a while.

How have you been this past week?

I felt blessed… grateful for the snow that turned the pine tree in our backyard into Christmas 🙂

I loved watching Blais sleep in the mornings, completely guilt-free, and then pick up his sled and hang out with friends.

But then, Friday came, the sun started melting the snow, and he sat in my office feeling overwhelmed.

I put my arms around him and I wanted to tell him that all was well, while knowing that no matter how much I wished it to be, I didn’t have the power to make it all go away.

So instead, I held him close and stayed silent for a while.

Without words – only through being present – I let him know that I heard him and that I honored what he was feeling.

Then I said: “There is a magic button. You can imagine it in your mind, click on it and bring yourself into the present moment, into the here and now.”

I explained to him how when we bring our awareness into the ‘now’, the present moment, all the worries about the future and all the sadness for losing what we had in the past, fade away.

He got it but then he wanted to know how he would handle all the demands of high school and making sure his grades stay high so he can be eligible for scholarships and colleges that he’s interested in. He wanted to know how he could deal with friends who aren’t motivated and with kids who care too much about who has a better car or whose parent has a higher-paying career.

I asked him how he’s managed so far – has he worried and stressed about it, or has he handled each situation as it came, finding solutions, breaking down school projects and assignments into smaller achievable tasks, and doing the work?

He didn’t have to answer. His eyes widened, he exhaled, and looked at me with a sense of relief.

“And I’m here to be your support. You don’t have to carry life’s responsibilities on your shoulders alone. You are only fifteen. I’m here.”

In that one moment, I was grateful for all the courses I took, my coaching training, the courage to do inner work and grace to begin practicing mindfulness into my life a decade ago. In every moment like this one with my youngest son, I realize that being able to remind someone about the ‘magic button’ is an amazing accomplishment.

Nothing I could buy for my sons can compare to the gift of being present, calm, and fulfilled.

In that place, we get rejuvenated, intentional, and inspired about our action plan to build a good life.

By the way, how cool is it that I just spoke about this exact thing in my Webinar reently? You’d think I planned it LOL

During the webinar, I brought up a few easy mindfulness exercises/practices – so, if you are curious, check it out.

(At minute 3:45 we are doing a grounding breathing – great way to bring yourself into the present moment. At 21:25 there is an exercise that utilizes our five senses.)

I hope that you can do this often throughout this week. Bring yourself into the present moment, observe your environment, your thoughts and emotions – and see how you feel!