I’ve had a challenging couple of days…

In April, my partner Berk and I hatched a plan and we chose this week in September for it to happen. It involves our second home in Sarasota, Florida that we rarely get to. The plan was we (he, I and our cat) would fly to the Tampa airport on Tuesday and hang out at our home in Sarasota until Saturday. Then, we’d leave our cat in the caring hands of Berk’s sister and fly to Mallorca, Spain for a three week biking (road cycling) trip.

Annnndddddd, I’m still here in Colorado with Berk and my cat Jezebel wondering about the fate of our home. (In case you’re not aware, Florida was struck by a category 4 hurricane this week.)

I’m also still flying to Mallorca on Saturday, but now I’m departing from Denver instead of Tampa.

On Monday and Tuesday, I spent over 10 hours on hold with 3 different airlines (even to 1:30am Monday night), I worked out different cat sitting arrangements, I purchased new, last minute international flights, I experienced fraud and canceled my credit card where all these purchases were going, I worked with international hotel and car rental companies and I stayed calm almost the whole time (I did have one iffy moment in there).

How did I do it? I used a mantra and this was it:

I don’t do overwhelm.

Whenever I’d feel that suffocating flood of thoughts, emotions and physical sensations that we call overwhelm, I’d repeat it over and over.

I don’t do overwhelm.

“I don’t” is powerful language. Neuroscience research has shown that “I don’t” is VERY different than “I can’t.”

Feel the difference between these two statements.

I can’t have dessert.

I don’t have dessert.

I can’t has restriction to it, a twinge of victimization, it undermines your personal power.

I don’t is a CHOICE. It is empowering and a declaration of your determination, strength and discipline.

The researchers call it empowered refusal and one thing science has indisputably shown us is that little changes on our thoughts and words make huge differences.

The more I repeat “I don’t do overwhelm” to myself, the more I embody and become a person who doesn’t feel overwhelmed. I can tell you from experience that it works!

Soooo, I’m headed to Spain on Saturday (I think) and I’ll write from there. I’m looking forward to some time away in a beautiful place on my bike and having space for full flowing creativity.

I’m working on a new program I’ll launch early next year too!

I’m not sure if you know this, but the writings from these newsletters end up on the blog on my website. If you want to see what I’ve written in the past, head over there.

Next week, I’ll share about my travel to Spain. Have you been to Mallorca? If so, please send me some tips!

If you’re in Florida right now, I’m sending love, calm vibes and maybe a little less overwhelm.