SIMPLE LIFE
Stopping the Overwhelm
This time last week I was in total overwhelm……writing, blogging, tweeting, facebook, B-School, linked in, pinterest, family, kids, house work, renovations, health issues, tired….run down…..and constantly close to tears. Ridiculous right…here I am creating a ‘Simple Life in Italy’ and falling into the overwhelm trap.
Throw in B-School with Marie Forleo and it’s incredible online community and all the fantastic things these wonderful people are sharing and I then added podcasts, you tube, opt in’s, pop ups, newsletters, e-books, and all kinds of other things that require a committed focus to learn. Overwhelm Arghhhh!
Rather than enjoying our Simple Life I was just sinking into overwhelm.
Well I’m happy to say that it’s over…..I’m not playing that overwhelm game anymore.
Enough……Basta……STOP!
I jumped on a coaching call with a fellow B-Schooler and an hour later felt like a huge weight had been lifted from my shoulders. I set a few priorities, created a time frame to complete them, put aside time just for writing and all this week I’ve stuck to it. No more going round and round the social media loop, I gave myself permission to just Stop.
You’ll still find me over at Facebook and Pinterest just a less overwhelmed version of me.
It’s time to step back and take a look at where I want to be, who I want to be, and where my dreams are at.
B-School has been the best gift and most intense learning environment, one that has given me clarity and focus. It’s an ongoing learning process and a bit like renovating a house, laying the right foundation, spending time on the preparation to get the best results. Painting a house is 90% preparation and 10% application.
Now that I’ve given myself permission to just stop I’ve actually been out enjoying life here in the valley. I’m still getting things done and using the morning for writing and then the afternoon is for getting outside, helping with the wood, soaking up the sun with the gang here at Malpertus, splashing the kids at the fountain, and today helping Sam with the rabbits.
We are down in the stable trying to gather up seven very fast little bunnies to see if they are girls or boys. Mum has gone back in with Dad who is very happy….VERY happy! And we now realize we have no clue about figuring out the sex of a young rabbit. Either we have seven girls or we have no clue! My guess is we have NO clue!
Our Simple Life here is good….better than good and this is what I want to share with you.
It is possible to chase your dream, to create your own version of a simpler life, to find your passion and follow it, to live with a little less yet gain so much more. It is possible to just stop the overwhelm, take a deep breath and refocus, really focus on what it is you want for your life. Find that, focus on that, live towards that each day…..
I’m buy writing, and it’s just flowing from me…..all that we did to actually get here not just once but twice. Starting with that initial dream of a simple life in Italy, how we kept it alive, and all the steps in between. A mixture of storytelling, practical steps and inspiring images, sharing with my best friend, answering all the questions and I hope inspiring you to Dare to Dream.
and the gang x
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Lisa Chiodo2013-12-27 05:10:252025-01-06 18:55:08Christmas in Italy – just to thank you
Ciao Lisa,
It’s taken me all week to get the time I wanted to make for your blog. Edit, edit and edit until you get to that tipping point where you’re actually yearning to reach out again. You’ve got the perfect excuse to slow down. Don’t spoil it. Live it. On your own terms. Think of you often. un abbraccio, Janine
Hey Janine how funny it’s taken me this long to get and reply to everyone….it just takes such a lot of time but so worth it. You know you are right, I always seem to be pleasing someone other than myself. Slowing down sounds perfect xxx
sending love and hugs x
Hi Lisa,
You are right, if you are promoting the simple life, you should apply that way of life to the virtual life in cyber space as well.
But living in a rural area or far from your family and friends the internet is a gift to be able to connect with the world. It just needs to be balanced. However, when depending on writing, and now with your e-book, marketing is part of the business. So it is okay to be on popular social media. And if you have good content, and you do, people will find you and like you. There is no need to update often or to always produce unique new content.
Thanks for sharing your feelings, it was a good reminder to stay focused, which is not easy for creative people 😉
Looking forward to your report about e-book writing!
Saluti
Susan
Crazy isn’t it Susan, it even made me laugh when I was talking about being so overwhelmed with my coach. Getting my virtual life and real life aligned is taking some time to work out. I want to share it, but I also want to be out living it x
Thanks for asking me about the e-book, I’m learning much about my writing process lol xx
Oh luv, thank you for this. 🙂 XOXO I’m SO proud of you for slowing down and making the choices that work for YOU. I’ve been doing that too and life is so much better. 🙂 I feel happy again instead of utterly, completely overwhelmed. XO Wish we could sit down for a good long visit and a cuppa. I think of you so often and you give me courage. 🙂
Krista I know that each step I take gets me closer to my dream and to actually enjoy it all. I think we’ll have to have a skype cuppa, I’d so love to do that. So I’m starting to look at choices that work for US as a family and how I can combine things in a fulfilling way and share so that it makes a difference to each person reading along. xx
Every time I see your gum boots I smile, bright flowers and soul warming meals, you give me JOY…..x
BRAVA!
On the book and slowing down…….I only do e-mail, my little blog,and instagram.Thats enough for me!I do have FB and PINTEREST but only look at those like twice a month.Yesterday,I went out into the garden and cleaned the pile of papers under my desk!That felt VERY GOOD.
So, Tu sei molto brava!
PS.It is very hard to sex a rabbit!
When do you head over to PARIGI?????
XX
Oh Dear Contessa,
We head to Paris in June and the photo shoot is booked in for the 24th….it still seems like a dream.
Finding balance online seems to be a problem for so many people these days….I’m happy that I have so many wonderful distractions and we have a daughter of some friends coming to stay with us and she is lovely, can’t wait for some extra woman power here.
As for the rabbits who knows, we don’t have a clue.
sending love xx