The 11 Keys every Coach must know to Get from Freaked Out to Focused - Fast! (aka Mastering Overwhelm)

The place: the transit lounge Tiger Airways, Melbourne, The time: a snip after sun-up. I waited to board the plane for the Sunshine Coast having spent a turbo-charged couple of days at The Coaching Institute. I watched, taking in the crowd. Most were school leavers celebrating new found freedom and off to the coast for fun in the sun. Not All. Two people caught my attention:  The first, – a trendy guy, late twenties, with a crew cut, black suit, black apple mac (you know the type). The second, a young mum with three kids under five clinched in a rowdy tangle of bags, half eaten muffins, trailing ... stuff. What they shared, Mr Cute and Ms Mama was the O-Zone: They were both doing hand trembling, head spinning, heart pounding overwhelm! I thought of how we all do it at times, and how fabulous it would be if I spent the flight analysing how to cruise from freaked out to focused!

May I digress to ask whether you're sick of sinking deeper and deeper into the quick-sand of non –productive, dry mouthed, time-wasting confusion? Are you fed up with getting no-where fast because you're stuffed chokka-block doing life? Are you done with being stuck in the churning mass of stuff in your head? Have you had enough of rising panic that takes you nowhere? I wonder whether your bursting brain, hammering heart and spun out strategy is stopping you from earning money, completing tasks and being the super star you know you are?

You'd be forgiven for thinking that I must know the O-Zone really well to be able to describe it in such detail. Well, yes, I do... and I also know how to defeat the demon, switch it right off and hop deftly back into the saddle.

So, as we settled into our leather seats and the engines rumbled into action, I flipped open the lid of my elegant white macbook: My hot eleven-step strategy for conquering the O-Zone destined to serve you! Here's what I wrote:

"Number 1:  Respect Yourself. At a time when you're not involved in the OZone in any way, make a date with yourself to list your successes. Keep that list somewhere safe, to access when you start to become aware that overwhelm is creeping in. Build yourself a buffer of triumphs. Create your golden circle of excellence and anchor those magnificent achievements on your body - somewhere that you can activate easily when needed by pressing on your body and holding whilst at the peak of the state - only. Anchor those power moments by choosing a song or theme tune that lifts your spirits. Appreciate your endeavours fully. Know your worth. Create a sensory construct to remind you of your fullest capacity. This first Key is the most challenging of all to access when the O-Zone set's in, so due care and attention must be given to establishing a self-respect core so that it is in place when needed.

Number 2: Deal in bite sized bits. Frame-by-frame.

Number 3: Breathe intentionally. On every inward breath draw in a resourceful quality such as gratitude, calm, playfulness, fun, understanding. On every outward breath, exhale unresourceful states such as frustration, confusion, self absorption.

Number 4: Get Present. If you're truly in the now, in the moment, it is not possible to be in the torment of the past or in the fear of the future. Be in the very moment that you occupy and appreciate that.

Number 5: Instruct your ego to take a hike and accept the situation "just as it is". Free yourself from being concerned about what other people think, expect or demand.

Number 6: Take a moment to win a mountain or a mission. Give yourself permission to remove yourself mentally and physically for a short while. Take a walk, have a swim, drink a cup of tea, paint a picture, do something else.

Number 7: Come on back and compartmentalise, segment and sort – write lists, create categories and allocate do-able tasks.

Number 8: Consider your situation with the end in mind. What is the outcome that you seek? Is that outcome good for you? Good for others? Good for the planet?

Number 9: Assess your choice to do overwhelm in terms of the pleasure/ pain model. If you keep doing the O-Zone, what would that cost you? What would it give you to continue to choose overwhelm? If you did not choose to change, who would you be being? Who would you be being if you put a stop to generating the exhaustion and guilt that you aren't doing everything that needs to be done?

Number 10: Identify and Take Action Steps ... that's right ... only you can choose the moment to change. Do something different.

Number 11. Start somewhere. Anywhere. Just start. "

With a flourish I hit "save". The wheels bounced across the tarmac. Brakes screeching. The plane drew to a halt. Front exit door flew open. A wall of warm Sunshine Coast air greeted me, a wave of relaxation. I couldn't help seeing the metaphor: The balmy welcome was like the prize of moving from freaked out to focused, the sweet sense of being able to manage the planning, coping and prioritising.

Mr Cute was at the luggage carousel, looking somewhat relieved to have arrived, and less stressed. He'd conquered his O Zone, evidently. Grandma scooped up Ms Mama and her brood, her very presence seemed to transform the clutter and the chaos into cheery order.

Waiting for my purple case, I pondered on how all things pass: even overwhelm. Mira Moonbeam hurtled toward me. I was then too caught in the moment of reuniting with my adorable little girl, to know of anything else. Now there is step number 4 in perfect motion!

Perhaps a potted antidote to Overwhelm is a smiling not-quite four year old! Works for me. In the absence of a curly haired, cherubic remedy, give the eleven step system a whirl!

PS This 11 step system was presented at the combined Coach & Connect & QE2 happening on the Sunshine Coast on Saturday 26th November and I've already received feedback from Coaches who have implemented this and shared it with their clients with great results! Isn't that just the best?!