Hi, friends 👋🏽. I’m Stacy Casson, Chief Play Officer at Things to Think About, LLC. With over twenty years of continuous improvement experience, I’ve learned to stay calm in a crisis—unless you’re that jerk in the white Tesla who doesn’t understand how indicators work. Get ready with me!
Is your calendar packed to the gills? Are you constantly double or triple-booked? Do you feel like you have to choose who you are going to fail today? You don’t have to face the doubts alone. I write this blog to help executive leaders move from overwhelm to action. As Dan Martell says, “A problem well defined is a problem half-solved.”
Step 1: Celebrate Your Wins
Pause for a moment:
What’s one thing you accomplished this week—big or small?
Did you make an offer?
Finally get your benefits sorted?
Asked for a raise?
This week, I tried singing two new songs and also proved to myself that I can still hold a note almost as long as Bill Weathers. I baked a red velvet cake with an ermine buttercream frosting for my baby sister and it was delicious. I also created a business card for my sister to share one of my programs with her education community. I also saved myself wasting fifteen dollars to try a weird ice cream flavor and committed a DIY food crime at home. Corn and ice cream are delicious even if you are not pregnant 😉
Drop your win in the comments or share it with a friend! Now, let’s proactively plan for the week ahead to set ourselves up for success and reduce overwhelm.
Step 2: Sit in your discomfort
I reflected on The Day of Meditation (Siku y Taamuli) for Kwanzaa and had to sit with hard truths about who I am. I continue to little red hen it and go it alone which is ridiculous considering how many people are in my corner. Despite all of the wins I’ve had, I am not happy. I don’t sleep well and have a constant low level headache from clenching my teeth. I’ve also had an incredible upheaval in my life and think I am just coming to terms with this. I need to change. The good news is that I am a Change Management facilitator and have resources to help me through this change.
Challenge: Journal. If you are struggling, write about it in a journal. When I get the thoughts out of my head and onto paper, they are less intimidating. It’s easier to make a plan when you completely understand your situation.
Step 3: Perfection is a lie
I’ve publicly held myself accountable to some mysterious homework assignment. Though I have completed it, I am using it as an excuse to hide from what I need to do. I’ve developed an incredible subscription program to provide calm on demand. Do you know about it? No. Because it’s locked up in perfectionism prison.
Mini-exercise: Choose your hard. Review your to-do list and choose the task that keeps you up at night. Put a date on your calendar and do it. Do it scared. Then debrief with yourself about what went well and what you would do differently.
Step 4: The Points are Imaginary
Several years ago, I missed out on the opportunity to go tubing down the river because I worried about what people would think. Me, the person who was introduced to the President of my university and proceeded to collapse into a heap of giggles. So what? We are all going to be ridiculous at some point, and either the memory will be erased by the next distraction, or you have stand up comedy gold. Like Alan Ibbotson notes, “We’re all winging it, darling.” Like I said last week, when you are walking a straight line, it feels different on the ground versus suspended on a tightrope.
You aren’t that special. My husband used to walk in circles around me. I asked him what he was doing and he replied, “Obviously the world revolves around you.” I still laugh at this because he gently and humorously pointed out my ego. We make mountains out of molehills. This week I said no and the other person moved on with their life. We are not as important as we think we are. I’m not saying your life has no meaning and you aren’t making an impact. I’m saying that your mindset is making you miserable and you are treating everything like you are on that tightrope.
To recap:
• Explore your discomfort
• Perfectionism is a Prison
• The points are imaginary: do it scared
Need a Little Extra Support?
If you’re finding it tough to carve out time for yourself or need a reset, I offer Calm Down Sessions designed to help you get the headspace you deserve. Sometimes, a quick chat is all it takes to get back on track.
Ready to tackle your overwhelm? Let me know what’s happening, and we can schedule a brief call to brainstorm solutions together. Book Now: https://calendly.com/thingstothinkabout/calm-down
What did you learn this week? What is one thing you need to release? Drop your thoughts in the comments or send me a message—I’d love to cheer you on!
