It's June and the world seems on fire!

↓

Dear Wholly Living Fam,

The last month has brought so much to our world...

and our hearts, if you're anything like me. The news has been a torrential downpour of pain and suffering and strife around the world and even in our area of the world.

It is normal to feel overwhelmed by all that we hear and read about in the world.

It is normal to feel helpless or like we are not doing enough.

It is normal to feel something like "survivor's guilt", like we don't deserve our life or aren't allowed to struggle when others have it "so much worse."

Take it from someone who has gotten burned out more times than I like to admit, it's ok to disengage from the content when you need to take a break, so that you can re-engage with helpful energy rather than hopelessness.

It's ok to disengage when you need a breather.

Overwhelm and burnout can happen to anyone and it can seep into unsuspecting aspects of our lives. Some signs you are burning out or reaching your point of overwhelm:

• don't have time or energy for activities you once loved
• desire to constantly zone out (on your phone, mindless TV, etc.)
• loud sounds or busy spaces become stress inducing
• feeling anxious or irritated when loved ones reach out
• struggling to make decisions, even small ones (i.e. increased procrastination)
• difficulty sleeping or resting without "doing"

What else would you add from your own experiences?

It obviously doesn't feel great to be in these spaces, and we are often not our best selves when we are, but recognizing WHEN it's happening is a good first step.

Burnout and overwhelm can happen to anyone and often happens to most of us! See below for some updates and some ways to respond to overwhelm and burnout!

Summer HAS ARRIVED!

If you are a parent home with your kids for the summer, I'm sure you've noticed. If you are having less than an awesome time with your kids home full time, don't fall in the trap of planning out every minute of their days! Create some structure with flexibility and lots of open space for play time. This is essential for kids up through the age of 10 -- they need free time for free play to create healthy internal spaces for themselves. This will lead to fewer meltdowns and WAY less time that is yours to plan.

If you need some help figuring out how to make that work, download my guide below for a step by step of what to do and how to plan for the inevitable "I'm bored" moments.

I just did this with my husband and daughter and it has been SO HELPFUL for us this week in keeping a light structure but still have so much time for fun! We all had a happier week for sure!

​

​

Check out the summer plan Find out more here!​

Battle the Burnout:

Overwhelm and Burnout can creep up on us and take us by surprise. If you notice yourself fitting into some of the above categories, try these things to regain your focus and engagement.

• Take a social media break: Give yourself a break from socials, even if that's not the source of your struggle, it's good for your brain to have a break (I'm preaching to myself too!)
• Get outside: get at least 10 minutes of sunshine on your body per day. Bonus points if it's first thing in the morning.
• Put your feet in some grass: While you're outside, might as well put your feet in some grass to get the full grounding effects. It will lift your mood and your mindset!
• Box breathing: breathe like you're going around a box: in for 4 count, hold for 4 count, out for 4 count, hold for 4 count. Do that 5-7 times to slow your brain down.
• Diet: eat 5-7 servings of fruits and vegetables per day and increase your protein. Many of us are not eating enough of these things and it shows up in our mental state. Eat the way that makes you feel good in the long term and seek the help of a nutritionist if needed.
• Let go of toxic or negative relationships: relationships that are draining or toxic can affect our mental health and contribute to burnout. If you find you are constantly in a caregiver mode, find space (MAKE SPACE) for relationships that are life giving!
• See loved ones in person: Covid brought this amazing time of connecting with lots of people over technology, which was so great in a season when we literally couldn't see people in person. However, most of us are moving about the world again, so it's time to reconnect with the in person connections. Being with loved ones where we feel safe, seen and known is so good for our nervous systems and, by proxy, our mental and emotional health!
• Sleep: this is essential! Get as much as you can. I know for most parents, more than 6-7 hours is a stretch, but do your best.
• Get some physical touch: ask someone who loves you to hold your hand or hug you for at least 10 seconds. Your body and brain will thank you!

If you're looking for more direct support, you can email me or watch the workshop below for overwhelmed mamas. Let's figure this out together!

​

Managing Mama Overwhelm! Get the replay here!

​

Summertime!

May was absolute madness! We visited my parents in Kansas for Mother's day and had friends unexpectedly in town right after that. There were graduations and graduation parties and family visiting in there too! Not to mention, the end of school for my husband and daughter. Phew! But we made it and it was really, overall, a pretty great month!

​

I hope your summer is off to a fun and safe start. Thank you for being here! If you found any of this helpful or have any comments, questions, concerns, etc. I would love to hear from you! Reply to this email and let's chat! Or send along to a friend who might need some of these words.

walking beside you through all of this,

Tiffani

​

​Unsubscribe · Preferences​