Monday, January 2, 2012

Fighting that "whelmed" feeling

Sometimes I feel whelmed. Not completely overwhelmed, just whelmed. Do you ever feel that way? It's at those times that I try to most to remind myself, "By small and simple things are great things brought to pass." Or, to quote Flylady, "I can do anything for 15 minutes." Those thoughts calm my mind and help me take action.

I've been envisioning what I'd like to become over the next year, trying to imagine how I'd like to improve my life, what weaknesses I want to tackle and which relationships I'd like to strengthen. I've also been thinking about ways I changed in the past year and what factors helped to bring about those changes.

One of the best things I did this past fall was start meal planning. If you look at the archives of my blog here, you'll see when I started doing it. I've been pretty regular about it, and I'm really pleased. It has helped me save money on groceries, eat better, and avoid that witchy 4 pm panic of "ACK! What's for dinner?"

Tsh Oxenreider is the reason. She is the blogger at SimpleMom.net and founder of Simple Living Media, which includes 4 other blogs: Simple Kids, Simple Homeschool, Simple Bites, and Simple Organic. Tsh is the author of Organized Simplicity, which I have read several times. She has given me great tips to organize my time, my home, my life. She taught me to begin my day by eating a frog (which means doing the worst thing first. I'm still working on that). More than anything, she is a great model of intentional living: thinking about what you want out of life and then living to make it happen. Tsh also introduced me to Pinterest. I had heard of it, but avoided it for a long time, but she showed me how to use it as a meal-planning tool in her e-book One Bite at a Time. She is a homeschooling mom, has lived abroad, and is an all around great person in my estimation.

To help you get a great start on this new year, Tsh is giving away a free copy of One Bite at a Time, right here at Small and Simple Things! To enter, please leave a comment below, telling me what project in One Bite you'd like to work on first. For a second entry, tell me what you do to find peace and soothe yourself when you feel frazzled. If you'd like a third entry, you can subscribe to my blog either in your reader or via google friend connect, and leave me a comment letting me know. The winner will be announced here on Monday, January 9th.

If you'd rather get going on things right away, use the promo code HAPPYNEWYEAR to save $1 and get One Bite at a Time instantly (it's available as a pdf, on Kindle, or Nook) for only $4. This code is valid through January 10th.

I was not compensated in any way for this post. I bought my own copy of One Bite at a Time (although I'm now an affiliate of the e-book because I think it's so fabulous).

23 comments:

Unknown said...

Cool giveaway! I could use some organization in all areas of my life, not sure which project I'd start on first. :)

Unknown said...

Whenever I'm feeling overwhelmed I make time to go running, it gives me some peace and quiet and gives me time to think and organize my thoughts.

Jeff Tanner said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Mary Harsh Tanner said...

Project: I would love to get my 2nd son's online photo book completed before our next boy arrives in 6 weeks.

Mary Harsh Tanner said...

When I feel overwhelmed I like to stop and do the dishes (there are always plenty of those when I am overwhelmed) and while doing that I find it a time I can think and get back to my priorities. Usually when I am overwhelmed it is because I am not focusing on the essentials.

Katherine said...

I could probably stand to eat a frog for breakfast more often. So I guess project #1 is for me. :)

Kristi said...

I think I would start with "establish a morning routine." We have a regular evening routine that works pretty well. Our mornings are all over the place and I've been meaning to do something about it, but the question is, what?

Kristi said...

I like to take a shower to overcome the whelms. It washes everything away.

Jane said...

I would like to eliminate some "noise" when it's time to go to bed. Knowing when to turn the computer off and go to bed or do other things that overwhelm me (fold laundry or prep dinner).

Keri-Lynn said...

I can relate to so much that you have mentioned above :-) I'm a stay at home mom, I'm a bit of a dreamer so this year I want to focus on doing. What brings me peace; God's grace, also reminding myself to not be so flippen serious and that its okay. Anyways I'm working on routines and good habits(chores). Thanks

Ingrid@morestylethancash said...

I just wanted to drop by and say hi, I hope you get to your spa day soon!

I had to laugh when I read about eating a frog because my coping tactic when I get whelmed is "How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time." and I nibble away at my problem.

Now what does it say about us that we relate our problems with eating.....hm.

Jane Sr. said...

I want to declutter...I have spots in my house that are nearly unusable cause they're full of junk!

Jane Sr. said...

When I'm tired and stressed I sit and knit or spin on my spinning wheel!

Anonymous said...

and I have now subscribed to your blog after reading through a few older posts!

The List Maker said...

For me, it's definitely Declutterthetoysmakethebillspaperlessgetoutofdebthavefamilymeetings!

Alicia said...

Not sure what project I'd start first but decluttering is on my to-do list right now.

Bridget said...

Get photos printed and into albums would be a big one.

Unknown said...

Hi Erin, found your blog through www.aholyexperience.com

I would love to make a photo book for the previous year that includes all my favorite pictures from that year.

Anonymous said...

I need to declutter some old papers I have - specifically two boxes worth.

Anonymous said...

I like to knit or crochet to calm myself. It's so relaxing (unless I make a mistake)

namesiv said...

I would like to finish scanning in my family photos. I worked on it for so longlong and I haven't been able to finish. I am at the end of the project!

namesiv said...

To unwind at the end of the dayday and get rid of the stress, I crochet.

java diva said...

I'm interested in creating a chore system for the family the most but I'm surprised at how much content I want!