Overwhlemed? Do the Next Thing.

Elisabeth Elliot is a lovely elderly woman and has authored many books. More than once her timeless words of wisdom have helped put things into perspective for me.

One common area we all share is feeling overwhelmed with too much to do. Where to begin?

Here is some wisdom from Elisabeth:

Have you had the experience of feeling as if you've got far too many burdens to bear, far too many people to take care of, far too many things on your list to do? You just can't possibly do it, and you get in a panic and you just want to sit down and collapse in a pile and feel sorry for yourself. 

Well, I've felt that way a good many times in my life, and I go back over and over again to an old Saxon legend, which I'm told is carved in an old English parson somewhere by the sea ... a poem which was written about that legend ... "Do The Next Thing." 

Can we live a simple life in a complicated world? Yes.

When you are overwhelmed with too much to do, remember to just do the next thing. It's amazing how those simple words can calm your mind, help you prioritize, and eliminate what does not need your attention.

American culture is driven for success. We can find ourselves being pulled along, not realizing that life can be simpler if we want it to be, and still be successful.

We can't fit everything in one day. We can't always take a vacation. We must learn to manage our lives. In Mediterranean and Latin American cultures, siestas are common. Maybe a power nap is your "next thing"!

One time, I had several tasks to do and I didn't know what to do first. I stopped myself and thought, do the next thing. I went and took a shower! (how many of us have put that off if we work from home?)

Or maybe, you've been so busy you haven't taken time for breakfast or lunch? 

We read, learn, think, plan, and then busy ourselves to accomplish our goals. Ultimately, we will become stressed and overwhelmed.

Slow down. And the way to begin a calmer life, is to approach it more simply: just do the next thing.

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Photo Credit: lichtempfindlich / Foter / CC BY-NC-ND

Kathleen Moulton has a passion to bring hope to hurting people of all ages who are facing disappointment, discouragement, and loss. You are invited to read When It Hurts - http://kathleenmoulton.com