Dancing with Commitments: How to Navigate Overwhelm Without Losing Yourself
"The art of life is a constant readjustment to our surroundings." ~ Kakuzo Okakura
As the year winds down, I find myself in a familiar dance—the delicate balance between ambition and overwhelm. If you've ever looked at your calendar and wondered, "What was I thinking?" then this post is for you.
Just a few months after a relatively quiet summer, I've somehow managed to stack my plate sky-high. A full-time residential course, three online teaching commitments, an ecotherapy training, ongoing coaching clients, and preparing for next year's mentorship programme - it's a recipe for exhaustion that I've cooked up with the best intentions.
The Zero to Sixty Cycle
The irony isn't lost on me. After a period of minimal activity, I've swung to the complete opposite extreme. It's that classic pattern of going from zero to sixty, where my enthusiasm and desire to engage with exciting opportunities overrode my sense of realistic capacity.
My inner perfectionist whispers that I should have known better, that I should be able to predict exactly how much I can handle. But here's the truth: life doesn't work in neat, predictable lines. Some periods are quiet, some are bustling, and learning to navigate these fluctuations is part of our human experience.
Reframing the Goal: Presence Over Perfection
The goal isn't to become a superhuman with magical capacity-predicting powers. Instead, it's about developing a more compassionate relationship with myself and my commitments. This means:
- Checking in with myself before taking on new responsibilities
- Understanding my current needs and capacity
- Being willing to say no with kindness
- Continuously adapting and nourishing my energy
Celebrating Intention, Not Superhuman Achievements
I want to celebrate the part of me that wants to do all the things. That enthusiasm, that curiosity, that willingness to engage—these are strengths, not character flaws. The key is learning to channel them mindfully, and importantly, not all at once.
Right now, that means pushing back on new requests. It means recognising when I'm already at capacity and having the courage to protect my energy. I'm learning to be elastic - maintaining flexibility while also honouring my limits.
It also means focusing on what I can change, not what I can't. Where do I have space? How can I make the most of the downtime I do have? How might I transition gracefully between different projects and commitments?
A Gentle Invitation to Fellow Humans
If you're feeling overwhelmed, if your to-do list feels more like a tsunami than a manageable stream, know this: you're not alone. The end of the year often brings a surge of activity - preparing, planning, wrapping up - and it's easy to get caught in the current.
My invitation to you is simple: How might you resource and support yourself more during this time? What small act of self-compassion can you practice today?
And I'm curious - how are you managing your commitments? Have you found yourself in a similar cycle? Drop a comment and let me know. Maybe we can keep reminding each other that being human means being beautifully imperfect.