What a FUN month! Whew! Lots of travel for my family and me. I had an opportunity to see three of my baby girl’s soccer games. Senior year, she’s captain of the team, and on the comeback from a torn/repaired ACL/MCL/Meniscus so those games sure were special and I’m grateful for the opportunity to be involved in her special days! We wrapped up the month with a trip to one of my favorite music festivals, MerleFest, held in Wilkesboro, NC to watch my all time favorite band, THE AVETT BROTHERS! As if the music weren’t enough, my oldest daughter was right beside me, singing along and tolerating my crazy dancing. 💃 Hope your month is filled with family, fun, adventures, and lots of love!

 

OVERWHELM!! Three steps to pulling it together.

 

This month has been a whirlwind for me (see above!) and it’s left me in a bit of the dreaded O-word - OVERWHELM! For me and many of my clients, the dreaded O-word leads straight into the dreaded P-word - PARALYSIS!! This swirling dance of O-P words is a sticky spot to find yourself in. Here’s three go-to’s that I frequently use to stop the spin and plant my feet back on solid ground so I can choose which way to walk next.

 

  • CALL IT OUT! Say it outloud to yourself, to your reflection in the mirror, to a friend or to a colleague. “I am feeling OVERWHELMED.” How do you know when you are feeling overwhelmed? Check out Brene Brown’s definition from page 6 in Atlas of the Heart. “Overwhelmed means an extreme level of stress, an emotional and/or cognitive intensity to the point of feeling unable to function.” Recognizing where you are and naming it creates some space for you to do your next step…ASK.
  • ASK YOURSELF! “What is the best thing for me to do for myself RIGHT NOW?” This step has been a real go-to for me. Not only when I am buried in “to-do’s”, but also when I am struggling with hard emotions that feel big and yucky and never ending. Sometimes the answer is: sleep a little later, pray, go to a meeting, skip a meeting, ride my bike, grab a shower and get straight on the to-do list, clean the house, organize my desk, call a friend, go workout, have a cry, breathe, eat…insert yours here. After step one, CALL IT OUT, and step two, ASK YOURSELF, you are ready for step three - TACKLE.
  • TACKLE IT! After identifying overwhelm and covering myself in a dollop of self-care, I typically have restored my ability to function. Here’s where you grab that problem by the hair and realize that the problem really is not the end of the world or the end of you and there are solutions you can begin! Note the word BEGIN. Small actions are best. 

 

Here’s a few of my faves: 

 

  • TURF IT! Delegate and let go of everything that you do not HAVE to do (it’s more than you think) 
  • PICK THREE! Pick three things to do that you can accomplish in no more than an hour. Knock them out, take a break, and pick three more. 
  • PRIORITIZE! What’s the most important thing to do NOW? Do it NOW. No excuses, reasons, or rationales on why it can’t be done. DO NOT MAKE A LIST HERE! Just pick the priority and DO IT!! Then celebrate! Rejuvenate! Possibly even strut a little! Dance party in the kitchen? Karaoke in the den? Live it up!! 

 


I hope these steps give you some new OPP dance moves and a way to sidestep right out of overwhelm. This month’s blog will be published May 24 and will continue this topic with OVERWHELM!! Three traps to avoid. You can access the blog here.

I love Lou’s Organic Lab! I started using the Formula 1225 on my face after meeting Lou at the Veg-Out festival here in Wilmington this October. I love how it feels on my face and doesn’t clog up my pores! Everyone’s skin is different, so Lou’s organic lab has a 30 day money back guarantee. Small batch, small company, veteran owned business! You can check out their products here: ​​https://www.lousorganiclab.com/

 

May 27 - Holotropic Breathing with Kimberly Clarke. Hosted by Port City Power Yoga, Kimberly will lead you in the deep emotional release that Holotropic Breathing provides. We will start at 12 noon and end around 8 p.m. Don’t live in Wilmington? There are a couple more spots in Kimberly’s beach house - make it a mini-Memorial Day Vacay! Want more info? Find it here! https://www.healingwithhorses.com/breathwork-retreat

https://www.healingwithhorses.com/breathwork

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Amy is an excellent coach. She embodies joy, compassion, & empathy. Qualities that allow her to be very motivating and help clients work through road blocks. She has nutritional and exercise wisdom and a gift for deep listening. I highly recommend her" 

- Karla W.

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Coach Amy Chang

Amy Chang, MS, RN, NBC-HWC is a health coach who works with people struggling to lose weight, have enough energy, and choose better health. Through their work in coaching, they create healthier bodies, feel more confident and empowered, and do so with ease and everyday JOY.

Amy knows that people can accomplish more than they think they can, and with a little coaching people can have the health they really want to do all the stuff they want to do with all the people they love.

Amy is a board-certified health and wellness coach through the National Board for Health and Wellness Coaching.

Amy Chang
Healthy Life Health and Wellness Coaching