Overwhelmed and Overthinking It: How to Find Focus and Move Forward

"A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step." Lao Tzu

I hate feeling overwhelmed.

I'm 5 weeks into my career change. A big change. I've left corporate life, I moved from LA to San Francisco, and I'm on my own to follow my passion. Writing. I thought I would feel inspired every day.

But I don't.

I'm feeling overwhelmed.

Following my passion is an amazing privilege. But the messiness of moving, setting my own schedule, and my inexperience as a writer was more than I bargained for. Week 3 I started to worry about everything I wasn't doing. No "About" page. No "elevator speech." No “branding.” To anyone on the outside, it's 3 weeks. But on the inside....I'm overthinking it.

And I'm stuck.

I called my sister for advice and a bit of sympathy. She laughed. "You're overwhelmed because you're NEW. It's normal to not know what you're doing. Instead of worrying about what you're not doing, think about what you can do. You're a new writer. Is there something you can do to be a better writer? Focus on the next step, not the end point."

The next day I took one step to be a better blogger: I enrolled in an online blogging class. Riding on a sliver of new found confidence I connected with another new blogger. Then I learned some techniques about managing my time, and started a content calendar. And now 2 short weeks later I’m on a roll, writing every day with focus. My sister was right.

I didn't need to go the distance. I needed to go in the right direction.

Are you overwhelmed and overthinking it?

It's so easy to get caught up in the swirl of change. Whether you're like me and just starting a major change, or contemplating a reinvention, don’t worry about what you can’t see, move towards what you can see:

Your first step.

And let the journey begin.

Check out the Unlock Your Potential page for more insight and inspiration.