What To Do When You Feel “Behind”

There's just so much to do.

So many things pulling at our attention.

So much pressure.

So many simmering goals and dreams in our hearts.

So we feel like we're somehow behind.

We feel that panicky feeling like somehow we've gone wrong or if we don't gain control it'll all come crashing down.

Day-to-day we're running habits, patterns, and narratives that shape...

... how we approach our day.

... what and how much gets done.

... how our days feel.

... and how we feel about our days.

Two people could get the same EXACT things done in a day and one person could feel like their day was successful and the other could feel like it was a big flop.

The way we THINK about our work day-to-day impacts that way we FEEL day-to-day.

When you string days, weeks, months, even years together where you're running a narrative that you're not doing enough or getting enough done - it starts to become a consistent way of being, feeling and showing up.

Combine this with a real or imagined degree of urgency and we have a swirly mess of stress, doubt, and not enough-ness that can manifest as procrastination, busywork, and self-sabotage.

I'm not speaking from experience or anything. 😉

The #1 most common narrative I hear that keeps people in this swirly mess is that sneaky feeling of being "behind."

What does being behind actually mean?

It's when we set a timeline, an action plan, a list of things that has to be done by a certain date and we are objectively not on track to get those things done on time.

But, I've found that more often than not, this is not the root of overwhelm and what people actually mean when they tell me they're behind.

For me, I don't feel behind if I'm actually behind on deadlines - I just shift them around and adjust things accordingly.

If things simply aren't going according to plan, I adjust the plan.

It's stressful, it's busy but it's not the same as that deeper yucky, shame-y feeling of "behind".

I only feel that heavier feeling of "behind" if I'm not taking the actions I know I need to take to reach my goals.

If I'm not showing up for my dreams.

If I'm playing small.

If I'm staying in my comfort zone.

If I'm not doing the things I know I need to be doing to grow my business.

That heavier feeling of "I'm so behind" is actually the discomfort with the distance between where you are and where you think you should be.

So what do we do about it?

We slowly and steadily close the gap between where we are and where we want to be...

It all starts with a decision.

It starts with a stake in the ground, a declaration that we're ready to forge a new way forward.

We have to DECIDE that we will show up for the business and life we want.

And knowing that what has been true has nothing to do with what is possible.

It's knowing that commitment is a practice.

I think we assume that we commit and then commitment is just a constant but it's not.

We have to commit and then recommit every single time we start to waver.

I PRACTICE commitment to my business.

It's knowing that clarity comes from action, not the perfect plan.

If you're like me and you love to dream and plan, I am here to tell you with love that too much thinking and planning is playing small.

Make a plan, (absolutely!) but get to work, get the lessons you need from that action, and adjust accordingly.

Fast action = fast lessons = fast results.

It's knowing that we need to BE it to BECOME it.

We have to show up as the business owner we want to be over and over and over again before our business becomes what we want it to be.

We have to establish the structure, the habits, the ways of being long before our business rises to meet us.

We show up when it's hard.

We show up when we don't want to.

And we start again when we didn't show up or fell off track (because it WILL happen.)

We choose our dreams and goals again, and again, and again.

I designed my program Empowered Action to help you close the gap between where you are and where you want to be with smart, steady strategic action.​

Empowered Action is a container designed to help you get clear on where you're going and put the habits and actions in place to get there (with so much support along the way).

If this post resonates with you check out Empowered Action.

It might be exactly what you need right now.