What to do When the Chaos Overwhelms? Is moving to Australia the Answer?

One of my favorite books growing up was a little story called, "Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible No Good Very Bad Day"
Here's the synopsis...
Alexander wakes up late, with a wad of bubblegum in his hair (reminder not to fall asleep with gum in your mouth!) and he trips over his skateboard.
The book continues with a litany of troubles! There's no toy in his cereal box, he has to buy ugly sneakers, a cavity at the dentist, a toppled ice cream cone,  lima beans at dinner, etc... You get the point! At the end of every page after something "terrible" happens, Alexander states, "I think I'll move to Australia"
As he's falling asleep on the last page his final line is, "Mom says people have days like that, Even In Australia...."
So, in reality the book is about teaching kids that although some days feel Terrible, Horrible, No Good and Very Bad - Tomorrow is a new day and that it's ok, it happens to us all whoever we are and wherever we are!
So what do we when it happens to us? We already know that moving to Australia won't change it and very often it feels a lot worse than tripping over a skateboard or lima beans for dinner. The perspective of an 8 year old versus that of a 'would-be' adult!
To be honest I had a sorta no good very bad day last week.... Yes, even happy yogis fall into overwhelm sometimes. So here are some thoughts to share on little things that made things a little better :)

Take a Step Back. When we are in panic mode or highly emotional, thoughts become unclear and it's difficult to take constructive actions! It seems counter-intuitive to stop for a moment when we have SO much to do. But doing something simple that's Not on the to-do list or associated with the so called crisis, even for a few minutes, helps to bring things back into perspective

ASK for HELP! This one can be hard for those of us independent achievers! But truly it's magical. Let me share - During my chaos last week, I had some haywire things to track & organize - let's call it my artist brain, but I could not figure it out. I picked up the phone and called a dear friend who is a bookkeeper. What I was struggling with is her area of expertise. She knew exactly what to do and immediately was able to offer some clarity and valuable advice. Sometimes it's hard to reach out, but I've learned it makes it easier when you have a friend's support.

Break it Down and Make a Plan! When we look at the Big Picture, that's exactly what it becomes - Too Darn Big! We start to see everything that needs to be done laundry, e-mails, work obligations, family responsibilities, check book, health, etc, etc....
Whoa! No brain or human can handle it all once. It's trite to say but, "Rome wasn't built in a day" and there's a reason why people say it! We build successfully by looking at the necessary tasks and accomplishing each of them One By One. Make a simple list and then see what Must get done Now. Begin by breaking that down into baby steps. Remember to take it easy on yourself. We can create a simpler path by giving ourselves clear steps to follow.

Remember the little things! Eating well, Hydrating, Exercise, Getting enough rest, having fun, Meditation (my magical saving grace!), Sunlight and Fresh Air. It's usually during stressful times that we forget to take care of ourselves. When we are out balance in any of these basic areas of wellness it's more difficult to function easily. Or as in the case of my chaos... I got a cold which forced me to take a break! If we don't slow down, our bodies will often do it for us.... Bring awareness to things you need to do to keep your Whole Self Well.

Leave a comment below and share YOUR favorite tips of handling No Good, Very Bad Days!
Would Love to hear them!
As my mom used to say, "This too Shall Pass...." And sure enough, it did....