21 mantras for people who are ridiculously, painfully, excruciatingly overwhelmed.

What does “overwhelm” feel like, in your body?

For me, it feels like my cells are trying to hug, squeeze & comfort one another … but instead, they’re just kinda Lennie-ing each other. Too much love! Too snug! Too hard!

Right now, I’m counting down the days (17, to be precise) until I embark on a major, life-and-destiny-reshaping move, back to the place where I was born: Los Angeles.

My life is awash with packing boxes, bubble wrap, masking tape and bittersweet goodbyes.

Oh, and then there’s, you know, my book launch, my workshops, my clients, my family & friends, my ever-burgeoning inbox, a stack of interviews & articles that I’ve (joyfully) promised to complete … and at the center of the spiral, there’s this. Hello, intensity.

New opportunities — to teach & travel, to write & play — come tumbling into my life, practically every day.

I am overwhelmed.

Overwhelmed with love.

Overwhelmed with gratitude.

And occasionally, just plain overwhelmed.

I’ve been creating lots of little sayings & reminders, to help myself through this unusually opportunity-and-responsibility-dense time.

Today, I’m sharing a few of my favorites with you.

Choose one that resonates strongly & read it aloud.

Too much? Try reading it not-aloud.

Still too much? Find a friend, flip each “I” to a “you,” and ask them to read the whole list … to you.

— I am doing as much as I can, as best as I can.

— I chose this path, and I can always make it easier.

— I gave myself these tasks, and I can un-give them, too.

— I put pressure on myself, and I can release it, too.

— I don’t have a to-do list. I have a list of helpful suggestions.

— I don’t have an inbox. I have a collection of happy invitations.

— I don’t need to do everything all at once. (Or all at ever.)

— I have no one to impress, except myself & Mr. Rogers.

— I have one job right now — being gentle with myself.

— I’m not overwhelmed. I’m over-wowed.

— I’m not overwhelmed. I’m saturated with possibilities.

— I am overwhelmed. With gratitude.

— Nothing is mandatory. Except being a nice person.

— The earth weighs 6.6 sextillion tons. If I let this problem go, we’ll all be a little lighter.

— The sun is 93 million miles away. From there, my problems are very small.

— The universe is 13.7 billion years old. I am very young. I am still learning.

— The universe is expanding. My life is unfolding. It’s all happening.

— When it comes to de-tangling problems, I am an Olympian.

— There’s always a simpler option.

— There’s always a sweeter path.

— There’s always a softer way.

And one more, for good measure:

— Fortunately, ___________ is not required for happiness.

Want a little more … ease?

Earlier this year, I wrote 30 mantras for people who over-work, over-commit, and are generally terrified of “missing out.”

When it comes to wrangling feelings of overwhelm, my Twitter comrades have a few sage words of advice, too.

If all else fails, stream this shoulder-softening song … and sing along.

P.S. What do you say to yourself — or do, or make, or play — when you’re feeling ovvvverwhelmed?