This Is Too Much For Me - Find Calm When You Are Overwhelmed

Does everything feel like too much right now? Maybe there’s too much to do, too much to think about, or too much happening all at once.
In this guided practice, you’ll explore the stressful thought “This is too much for me” using The Work of Byron Katie. As you question this belief, you may begin to experience the same situation with more space, clarity, and inner calm.
This practice can be especially helpful when you feel overwhelmed, stressed, under pressure, mentally overloaded, or afraid you won’t be able to handle everything.

Transcript

Welcome. This is a short guided process with the work of Byron Katie. The work is a simple way to question the thoughts that create our suffering. Most of our suffering doesn't come from what happens. It comes from the thoughts we believe about what happens. Today we will question this thought. This is too much for me. The work is a meditation. That means you don't have to make any effort. You don't have to think hard to find the answers. Just listen to the questions and notice what is true for you. First, Remember one specific situation where you believed This is too much for me. Choose one short moment, Just 5 to 10 seconds. If you need a little more time to find that situation, Simply pause this audio and come back when you can clearly see it in your mind. I'll ask you a few questions and after each one I will leave some quiet space so you can find your own honest answer. Bring that situation to mind. Is it true that this is too much for you? Is that thought true? Wait until you feel a clear yes or no. Can you absolutely know that it's true? Can you be absolutely certain that this is too much for you? Just wait. Notice whether your answer is yes or no. Now look at that situation again. How do you react, What happens when you believe the thought? But this is too much for me. What emotions arise? How do you treat yourself in that situation when you believe that thought? And what is it like to treat yourself that way? Just notice. Now imagine that same situation without the thought, This is too much for me. Everything else stays exactly the same. The fault simply isn't there. Take your time. Who would you be? What might you notice? How would you experience that situation if the thought, This is too much for me, Had never appeared? Now let's turn the forward around. The first turnaround is, This is not too much for me. Why might that be true in that situation? Can you find one genuine example? Here's one example I've found. I have been through many challenges and difficult times in my life. Looking back, I can see that I survived every one of them. I found my way through them and many of them taught me something valuable. Could that example also be true for you? If so, What might this situation have to teach you? How might it help you grow? Another turnaround could be This is exactly right for me. Why might that be true in that situation? Just imagine for a moment that this situation is for you, Not against you. Can you open your mind to that possibility? Can you find one example of how the situation might be here for you? If you like, Take one slow, Deep breath. Did you discover something new? Would you like to take this new thought with you into the rest of your day? Maybe write it down somewhere, So you will see it again. If you have a little more time, You are very welcome to try one of my longer guided sessions with the work. You'll find them in my profile. They take about 30 minutes and give you the opportunity to explore each question more deeply.