Liz Strauss at Successful Blog

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April 10, 2008

Getting Unstuck: Clear Thoughts During Chaos

ME Liz Strauss wrote this at 11:23 am

Stop, Look, Listen

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Ever felt like your life is about weaving a fabric and events seem to keep unraveling what you just made? To me, that’s the definition of being overwhelmed. The chaos of too much to do in too little time can get us in a frenzy of reacting, rather than being in control.

What to do first is the decision we’re after. Sometimes we decide. Then we decide again.

Later hindsight tells what the decisions should have been. Why is hindsight better?

At times of chaos, we’re off balance. We get stuck in our heads. Our heads and our experience try to interrupt, but they’re more noise in the middle of too much. When the situation is over, hindsight brings all three together to look at what we did. Decisions are clearer when we calmly bring all of ourselves to them.

Getting Unstuck: Clear Thoughts During Chaos

One way to bring calm to chaos is simply getting out of where we’re stuck. I learned this from No Enemies Within, a book by Dawna Markova. (It’s unfortunately out of print. Still if you can find a copy I highly recommend it.)

Getting in touch with who we are, where we are, what we’re physically doing gets us back in balance. Stress lifts. Anxiety is relieved by perspective. Noise becomes information or fades away. We’re no longer stuck in one angular view. Empirical data centers us in the universe and in ourselves. We bring a sense of ourselves to sorting chaos . . . head, heart, and purpose focused together.

How do you still yourself so that you can move forward?

–ME “Liz” Strauss
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9 Comments to “Getting Unstuck: Clear Thoughts During Chaos”

  1. April 10th, 2008 at 3:52 pm
    Mike DeWitt said

    Liz,

    Great timing for this post. I just got RIF’d this morning. I’ll be doing this later…

    Mike

  2. April 10th, 2008 at 4:40 pm
    James Chapman said

    I am one of those lucky people who can keep chaos outside of me, which allows me to stay calm and think clearly at all times.

    I have been able to do this for as far back as I can remember and I can only put it down to the fact that I seem to carry an inner harmony.

  3. April 10th, 2008 at 5:10 pm
    ME Liz Strauss said

    Oh, Mike,
    I know you saw it coming. I also know that it doesn’t make it easier. I know you’re brilliance, and I know that you do as well.

    Dirty pig dog bastards!

  4. April 10th, 2008 at 5:17 pm
    The Internet Apprentice said

    Whenever I feel overwhelmed or stressed, I often imagine that I’m at my deathbed, looking back at my life. I know this sounds morbid,but stick with me. When I do this, whatever problem I’m facing just doesn’t seem to be that big. I ask myself, do I wish I had tried that? It gives me the courage to take risks and not feel overwhelmed. I’m then able to take on things one at a time in a positive way. It’s helps me realize that life is such a gift, and not to sweat the small stuff, you know?

    - Dave

  5. April 10th, 2008 at 5:36 pm
    Mike said

    Thanks, Liz ;-)

  6. April 10th, 2008 at 5:38 pm
    ME Liz Strauss said

    Hi Dave,
    I don’t find it morbid. I find it fabulous. You move your focus to what you have, away from what’s wrong. Courage is found in doing just that sort of thing.

    Yeah, I know.

  7. April 12th, 2008 at 6:58 pm
    Trisha said

    Thanks Liz! I needed that!

  8. April 12th, 2008 at 7:16 pm
    Trisha said

    “Get in touch with where you are”

    For me, this quote from Carl Sagan helps me to remember where I am: Carl Sagan reads from Pale Blue Dot (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7FAcpGtJnvI)

  9. April 12th, 2008 at 9:29 pm
    ME Liz Strauss said

    Hi Trisha!
    Great to see ya! I wrote this because I needed it too. Love the link you brought. Thanks !

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