Get a Grip!

Have you ever been so overwhelmed that it paralyzes you?  You have so much to do and so much depending on you, yet, instead of motivating you to get stuff done, you tend to sit around and either think about just how much you have to do or choose to do something entirely unrelated, like write a blog entry, to simply postpone that which needs to be done?!  I hope I am not alone.  I hope I am not the only person that struggles with this issue. 

Life is crazy!  It doesn't slow down.  It is unforgiving and relentless.  It doesn't care if you are making the right decisions or wrong decisions.  It could not care less if you are broke or if you are sick or if you are lacking energy.  It simply moves on, with or without you.  This is how I am feeling these days. 

I'm tired.

Tired of what, I don't know.  I know I can always work harder.  I know Dax keeps me up at night, but most of my life, due to health issues, I have survived just fine on 4 hours of sleep a night.  All of a sudden, 8 isn't enough.  I know with my health issues I am trying to climb a fence that is leaning toward me and that is difficult.  That being said, it isn't undoable. 

I'm broke.

Two years ago I chose to leave my job of 15 years simply because I felt strongly that God wanted me to.  I could no longer, in good conscience and free from stress, continue to do that which I did or to represent those whom I represented.  I know I made the right decision to pursue my own business in insurance.  I knew it would be a challenge for the first 5 years.  In preparation, I liquidated my BMW, my Jeep, my ATVs and my cabin.  I have blown through 90K in cash the last two years in an effort to not disrupt the lifestyle that my family has become accustomed to.  We have tightened our belts somewhat, but here I am 2 years into my 5 year plan and it is time to tighten and sacrifice more.  I have had great success, but I need so much more.   My wife and kids depend on it.

Did I mention yet that I am overwhelmed?

I am.  I don't doubt my abilities to get the job done, but for some reason I sit and stare at it, rather than tackle it.  Why?  It makes no sense.  I can procrastinate with the best of them, but at the end of the day I know it is counterproductive.  So why do I do it?  Fear of failing?  Laziness?  Entitlement?  I don't know, but I need to get a grip.

Getting a grip...I've done it before.  The fact that I have done it before is exactly why I don't doubt my abilities to do it again.  I just have to get back to basics.

Basics:

• How do you eat an elephant?  One bite at a time.  I need to relax, step back and just start eating this elephant one bite at a time.  I know that sometimes when I am feeling overwhelmed, if I can take a step back I would realize it isn't as overwhelming as it may seem when I am right in the mix of it. 
• Get organized:  I am one who needs ruts.  This sense of overwhelming anxiety is a rut, but a negative rut.  I need to get back to basics.  I think that is the one difficult thing about the holidays, it takes off of our regular game.  I need to get back to the treadmill.  I need to ditch soda again.  I need to get to bed at the same time every night and wake up at the same early hour every day.  I need to study the scriptures.  I need to get to the office at the same time.  I need to find a rut; a good rut...and stay in it.
• Set goals:  If you fail to prepare, you prepare to fail.  I need to set goals, write them down and commit to achieving them.
• Continue counting blessings.  This is one area wherein I rarely struggle.  I am so grateful and I know I'm blessed.  I firmly believe that much of my success is due to my ability to recognize God's  hand in my life and thus, His hand is always present. 
• Just do it.  I need to do just that.  Do it.  Do marketing.  Do talk to people and ask for their business.  Do quote business left and right.  Do close sales.  Do, do, do.  I find that this is truly the key.  When you do, your chances of success increase and the rest tends to become more fun and less chore and success follows. 

This is not new territory for me.  Fortunately, it is a land I don't visit much, but when I do, it is a difficult land to depart from.  This blog, my journal and earnest prayer are always a welcome relief.

Thanks for listening....all two of you.  ;)