You’re carrying it all and you’re wearing all the hats – service provider, client support, admin, tech guru, bookkeeper, marketing leader, salesperson, social media creator, copywriter… the list goes on.
You’re juggling so much that the joy of what you do can fade. Your to-do list might be a mile long, or non-existent because there’s too much to remember.
That constant spin of activity can feel productive, but is it really?
Often, it’s not.
It can leave you exhausted, time-poor, and disconnected from why you began this journey in the first place. Spinning plates becomes your norm, and slowing down feels impossible because one might fall if you pause. You crave the time to get really clear but the idea of doing that is terrifying – all those plates may well fall.
But the real risk is that if you never take that pause, they all might come crashing down.
So why do we create that relentless cycle for ourselves in the first place? This cycle where we can’t see the wood for the trees?
Answer 1: Sometimes it’s because the vicious cycle has become familiar and although it is tough, it is what we know. The fear of what may be on the other side, if we change things, is so great that we choose to stay stuck in the vicious cycle – at least we know how things run there.
Remember the ego/primitive brain does not like change so it prefers us to stay where we are. If we are surviving where we are then why change things? The ego/primitive brain is not interested in us thriving or being happy.
Answer 2: Sometimes it’s because we simply have no idea how to get out of the cycle. We have no idea what the solution to the problem would be or how to find help to solve it. If this sort of behaviour has never been modelled to us or been offered then a part of us may feel that this is how it’s meant to be. Running a business is hard. Running a business takes up all your time. To be successful you have to put the hours in.
So what do we do to address this lack of clarity?
Could there be another way? Instead of pushing harder, what if you paused, reflected, gave yourself the gift of clarity.
When overwhelm builds, clarity offers the path forward.
I often see heart-centred business owners at breaking point, overwhelmed, tired, losing passion, unsure of the next step… yet.
They have plenty of strategy and know what to do. The real block is that they can’t see a way to move forward.
That’s where slowing down becomes your greatest act of courage. It’s what gives you the space to see the real at-a-glance: what’s working, what’s draining you, what direction feels meaningful.
Clarity is powerful and can unlock things within you that you didn’t realise had been shut away:
- A spark of joy in your business again
- A focused next action that feels energising rather than draining
- A slowdown that feels like a leap forward
So what’s your next move if you feel you can’t see the wood for the trees in your business? If reading this lands with you, consider pressing pause, even for just a day. Reflect on:
- What’s the one thing in your business weighing you down?
- What small shift, an hour or two of quiet, a single conversation, might help you feel less overwhelmed?
- Could what feels like falling behind actually be clearing space to move forward?
You don’t have to stay stuck, there is another way.
And, if you want some 1:1 help with this, reach out to me via email philippa@holdmyhandcoaching.com – we can work on this together.
Until next time,
Best wishes
Philippa x