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Spoiled for choice? What to do when blessings become a burden
The abundance of opportunities can be overwhelming, leading to guilt and fear of missing out. Life coach advises defining “enough”
Define “Enough”.
When at a buffet meal, do you pile your plate with everything all at once or do you serve yourself a regular plateful, and return for one or more servings? The second option may seem more sensible, but both options lead to overeating and indigestion. So be aware of each serving and the number of servings when you plan your life. For some, it may mean not charting out every hour of the day, for others it means taking on fewer clients for sustained growth, rather than early, but fleeting success. You do you.
Energise.
Treat each day as a marathon, not a sprint. That means you’ll have to pace yourself, prepare to go the distance, know where you’re headed. Don’t run to the milestones you need to walk towards and vice versa.
Curate your journey.
Complaining, whining, worrying “what if?” and critiquing someone else’s goals are a terrible use of your time and skills. Choose what you want to put your energy in, and eventually the fear of missing out will fade. Think of that hypothetical buffet. The aim is never to game the system, but to have a good meal. So if you’ve had your fill of the foods you wanted to eat, are you really missing out on the dishes you’ve passed up? Apply the idea to your own goals. Your own wins will seem sweeter.
Be realistic.
Don’t chase forever, permanence or perfection. Instead, accept that sometimes 50% is good enough and at other times, 80% is actually great. Focus on bouncing back rather than winning at every task. And be consistent. Doing something regularly does not mean doing it every day. Pick how often you want to focus on a specific goal. And remember that it is natural, human and absolutely okay to falter. What matters is that you bounce back faster each time.
Be willing.
If your goals seem like a drag, it’s probably because they’re not your dreams but someone else’s. Pick your path and be willing to step up to challenges, to work through obstacles, to put in the effort required and to live your desires to their fullest. I’ve put this right at the end so it is the first thing you remember. Life is abundant. Life is transient. Life is also all that you make of it. So what will you choose? The feeling of being overwhelmed or the willingness to thrive?
