What Can Be Done When It Becomes Too Much? 

Make a list of the things that come into your world each day. 

Start with those tasks you do with such a muscle memory that you may not even realize how much you’re doing. 

Then go into the to-dos that you may need to add on the days when life gets twisty or a bit more intense.  

Is there a mix of easy and difficult points? 

My days have an ebb and flow to them. 

At times, it can become too much. 

That is when I pull back, look up and remember the phrase that has come to be for years. 

Think of one that has been your go-to as I share.

Go back to doing what you did when you thought you knew what you were doing. 

– Mark Twain 

This is the time for me to be mindful, take time to be still and then go for it. 

As the days become too much and I continue to ask what can be done.

Go for it and go forward as the days become too much and I continue to ask what can be done. 

This has been my quest for decades. 

Even while I was moving from one act to the next. 

This is what I now know as my 3rd act. 

As you continue to think about the list you’ve created, here is one more thing to consider. 

What are some things you can do when it indeed becomes too much. 

You can do what I’ve started with.

Go back to doing what you thought you knew.

Go back to doing what you thought you knew.

It looks like this for me, in its purest form. 

Taking a deep breath in and letting the breath out. 

Drinking enough water.

Eating food that brings me energy and joy. 

Looking up to see a sunrise, even when it starts out on a dark day.

Creating warmth, as if I’m being wrapped in a blanket, by being near people I love.

Is there more that comes to your mind? 

Add them to your list of what can be done on any given day. 

My quest will continue. 

I continually seek ways to take care of the day-to-day lists while learning how to go back to doing what I know how to do. 

There is learning to do, while I add movement to my day and change what I see at times by going outside, looking for color in every little thing. 

At one point, doing this meant learning who I was again.

At one point, doing this meant learning who I was again. 

Learning who I was again when life became too much happened after our son passed away and I didn’t recognize who I was any longer. 

As I passed a mirror, I realized that the person who was reflecting back to me was not who I knew. 

In order to get to know myself again, I needed to go back to doing some things again. 

This took time, letting the new and ongoing grief be still and looking for ways to remember the life with our son with love. 

I still give myself time to let the easy and difficult moments tell me what I can do while getting to know more and ask the questions. 

The question that comes back to me each time has been ‘is there more I need to know?’ 

What more do I need to know about this moment? 

That seems to be the next beginning point for me. To be mindful of what is becoming too much. 

It also is the beginning point that shows me how to pause, look up and make sure I’m staying with the pure things first. 

What else is there, my friends? 

When it becomes too much, I now k now that for it means that I need to pause.

When it becomes too much, I now know that for me it means that I need to pause and continue leaning into the difficult parts of my daily life. 

Goodness. Leaning into the difficult parts of life is powerful and also brings me to a resilient joy.

That is what makes me ask the questions and learn more. 

What can be added on your list? 

Let’s create a way through together.