Let’s talk about what really happens when sh*t hits the fan.
Not the Insta-worthy kind of struggle where you light a candle, do some breathwork, and suddenly everything’s okay. I mean the kind of cluster of chaos that leaves you anxious, overwhelmed, and frozen in your own life. The kind where nothing’s going right, everything feels too big, and you find yourself spiraling in the mess of it all.
That was me. Recently. And if you’ve been there too, this one’s for you.
It started as a normal day. I was walking through the Adelaide parklands with Dom, doing my usual loop around what I’ve affectionately named “Hobby Horse Highway” (don’t judge me, naming the tracks helps me think). I had this weird heaviness in my chest. That pit-of-the-stomach anxiety I haven’t felt since stepping away from work a few years ago. It crept in slowly, then came in like a freight train.
I tried to figure out what was going on. What was actually wrong? Why was I feeling so stuck?
And then it hit me. I’d been avoiding a situation. Something I knew needed to be dealt with. A people-management kind of situation that brought up all the crap I don’t enjoy dealing with. And it had been building, quietly, for weeks. Until it demanded my attention with a full-body anxiety alert.
Now here’s the kicker. In those moments, the worst thing I can do is nothing. But taking big action is also impossible when you’re frozen. So I did what I always do when it feels like everything is going sideways.
I came back to one question: “What’s one thing I can do right now to move myself forward?”
Not everything. Not the whole plan. Just one tiny thing that I know will help shift the energy.
That’s when I reached for my 90-day planner. My ride-or-die. I’ve used the same method for over 15 years and it still works. I looked at what was on my list for the day and asked myself, “What can I tick off right now with the least amount of brainpower?”
I played in Canva.
I uploaded a blog to my new site.
I wrote an email to my list.
And each of those tiny wins started to build a bit of momentum.
I didn’t solve the big issue right away. But I did eventually face it. I dealt with it head-on, even though it was uncomfortable and hard. And the moment I did? That anxiety started to ease. The fog lifted. The weight started to shift.
Sometimes our brains tell us we need to fix everything before we can breathe again. But that’s a lie. We just need one clear action. One forward step. One thing that brings us back to ourselves.
So if you’re in that space where everything feels like too much, here’s what I want you to know:
You don’t have to do it all.
You don’t have to be perfect.
And you sure as hell don’t have to go it alone.
Just ask yourself: What’s the one thing I can do right now to feel a little bit better?
Then do it.
And if you need a tool to help guide that process, I’ve got you. I’m sharing my 90-day planner for free because it has genuinely saved my butt more times than I can count.
This episode of the podcast dives into the full story, including what I did, what didn’t work, and how I came back from the edge of a full-on spiral.
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