Welcome to Swimming Out of the Riptide.
I'm Leslie.
Are you feeling caught up in something that's pulling you further from shore than you intended to go?
Today we're going to explore one of nature's most powerful metaphors for overwhelm and discover how the wisdom of the ocean can teach us exactly how to keep our head above water as we find our way back to safety and solid ground.
When my children were young,
They loved beach vacations.
We would often travel to the Florida Panhandle to enjoy those pristine white sands and crystal blue waters.
As beautiful as it is,
There's an invisible danger that can appear at any time.
Riptides.
Riptides are strong currents caused by breaking waves that can pull you from the shore and out to sea before you realize what's happening.
They're easy to spot from up high.
But when you're at water level,
At the shore,
They are much harder to see.
Overwhelm can be just like this.
You think you're fine,
Enjoying your day,
Making progress.
And then suddenly,
You're not.
You're being pulled by a current you didn't see coming.
And the harder you fight against it,
The more exhausted you become.
So how do you manage these feelings?
Glad you asked.
Let's get started.
Take a moment now to get comfortable in a seated position.
Close your eyes if that feels right.
Or simply soften your gaze.
Let's start by acknowledging your current riptide.
What's been pulling you out to sea lately?
Is it work demands that keep expanding?
Family responsibilities that never seem to end?
Financial pressures that create that undertow of anxiety?
Or maybe it's an internal riptide.
The voice that says,
You're behind.
You're not doing enough.
Everyone else has things figured out except you.
We're not going to try to fight or disrupt these feelings.
We're just going to acknowledge them by saying,
Yes,
I can feel this current pulling me.
When you first realize you're caught in a riptide,
Whether it's water or overwhelm,
What's your natural response?
Panic sets in.
You start swimming harder,
Faster,
Trying to get back to where you think you should be.
In life,
This shows up as rushing.
If I can just check more things off my list faster,
I'll feel better.
If I can just work harder,
Longer,
I'll get ahead of this.
Feel this familiar response in your body.
The tight chest.
The shallow breathing.
The sense of urgency that makes everything feel like an emergency.
Here's what happens when you swim head-on against a current that's exponentially stronger than you are.
You get worn down.
You use up all your energy fighting instead of using strategy.
With overwhelm,
This looks like making careless mistakes because you're rushing.
Something breaks.
You have to start over.
Clean up a mess.
And just like that,
You're caught in the current again,
Being pulled further from shore.
It's the hamster wheel effect.
Tremendous effort with nothing to show for it.
Let's pause here and practice the most important skill in riptide survival.
Recognition.
Take a slow,
Deep breath and ask yourself,
Am I swimming against the current right now?
Am I using all my energy to fight something that's stronger than my individual effort?
If the answer is yes,
This is actually good news.
Because once you recognize your inner riptide,
You can stop fighting and start using wisdom instead.
Let's breathe together.
Imagine you're floating for a moment.
Not fighting.
Not swimming frantically.
Just floating and breathing.
Look up at the sky.
Breathe in awareness.
Breathe out struggle.
Watch the clouds roll by.
Breathe in trust.
Breathe out panic.
Let the sounds beneath the ocean surface quiet any mental noise.
Breathe in strategy.
Breathe out force.
Here's what lifeguards teach about riptide survival.
Never swim directly against the current.
Instead,
Swim perpendicular to it.
Parallel to the shore.
This way,
You make slow but steady progress out of the current's pull.
In life,
This means stopping the head-on battle with overwhelm and finding a different angle of approach.
Let's practice this together.
Think about an overwhelming situation you're experiencing now.
Instead of meeting it with more effort,
More hours,
More pressure,
What would a perpendicular approach look like?
Maybe instead of trying to do everything on your list,
You choose just one thing and do it well.
Maybe you spread your work out over a few days instead of cramming it all into a few hours.
Take several breaths to explore what your perpendicular approach might be.
What would it look like to work with the current instead of against it?
Breathe into this new strategy.
Let solutions emerge that you couldn't see when you were fighting.
What about asking for help?
Sometimes you may be so exhausted from fighting the current that swimming perpendicular to escape a riptide isn't enough.
And when you're out of breath,
It's hard to call for help.
This is why the pause is so crucial.
When you stop fighting for a moment,
Float and breathe,
You preserve your energy.
You can think clearly.
You can make yourself heard when you call for help.
Let's practice this.
In your mind,
Imagine yourself floating calmly and calling for support.
Maybe it's asking a colleague to share the workload.
Maybe it's hiring help at home.
Maybe it's simply telling someone,
I'm struggling and I need to talk it through.
Feel how different this is from trying to handle everything alone while you're being pulled under by the riptide.
Knowing that you have support can give you the strength to hang on until help arrives or the energy to keep moving until you reach your goal.
As you practice swimming perpendicular to your overwhelmed current,
Notice something important.
Your progress might be slower than you'd like,
But it's still progress.
You're not just spinning in place anymore.
You're making your way out of the dangerous current and toward calmer waters where you can swim normally again.
Let's spend our final minutes together building this new pattern into your body and mind.
When you feel that familiar pull of overwhelm,
First,
Recognize,
I'm in an overwhelmed riptide.
Second,
Stop fighting.
Float and breathe.
Third,
Find the perpendicular approach.
What's the wise angle here?
Fourth,
Make slow but steady progress.
Fifth,
Call for help when you need it.
Feel yourself in calmer waters now.
You've used wisdom instead of force.
You've preserved your energy for what matters.
You've made real progress toward the shore.
This is what becomes possible when you understand the nature of the current you're in and respond strategically instead of reactively.
As you prepare to open your eyes and return to your day,
Imagine yourself walking up onto the shore,
Feeling the warm sand beneath your feet.
You're safe.
You're wiser.
You know how to navigate treacherous waters.
Remember,
When overwhelm has you in over your head,
Don't exhaust yourself swimming against the current.
Recognize the riptide.
Call for help.
Rest by floating for a while.
Breathe and let your body,
Mind,
And emotions reset.
You have the wisdom to choose your angle of approach.
You have the energy to swim out of the dangerous current.
You'll make it to shore.
Thank you for taking this journey with me.
Until next time,
Stay present,
Be peaceful,
Live prosperous.
