Oh my, where am I? In the what? Lost in the weeds? Sound about right to me.
When children are lost in the weeds, they can relax and have fun. They can sing and play, we often do not do either thing. We fret and worry and get frustrated. Sure, our responsibilities are far greater than those of the children, still, we might learn a thing or two from the little ones. Take a breath and maybe gain a different perspective.
The first time I heard the expression “In the weeds” I had no idea what people meant. Well, I soon understood, and boy have I been “In the weeds” more than once. How about you?
In case the expression is new to you to, this simply means you’re overwhelmed, perhaps a bit stressed, and feeling frustrated about all the things you need to do, want to do or even must do. Sometimes we can’t even see clearly, and we feel like we’re about to sink. Most of us have been there. But thankfully we don’t stay there.
We can get lost in the weeds, but we find our way out, or through, somehow. That’s just part of the normal ebb and flow of life. There’s nothing wrong with you because you’re lost in the weeds.
We sometimes want to “label” ourselves, or others want to label us when we are just going through life, and there is nothing “wrong” with us, we may just need a hand, or even to take a break.
Yes, we may need to step back and look at what’s most important, and focus on that one thing, or the top 2 things. Usually there’s more than one thing that’s most important, but we can usually stop and carefully pick one at a time. If we do this, we can begin to see clearly and start to find our way out of the weeds.
Another way to get out of the weeds is to take a rest. A true rest. “What? Take a rest? Are you kidding me! That’s easy for you to say you’re not living my life.“
Well, you’re correct, no one is living your life but you. And if you want to keep living your life, you might need to take a rest. Sometimes when we’re in the weeds the last thing we want to do, the last thing we want to hear, is something like: “Just give yourself a break, take a breath and take a rest.” But you know you know what, sometimes that’s exactly what we need to hear and doing just that simple act can impact us in positive ways. (Athought it can be very hard!)
Throughout my life, if I wasn’t told that by a trusted loving person who I knew cared about me, I could’ve sunk. I have sunk a few times and thankfully have gotten up each time. Most of us can say that same thing. We are all so much alike, and that means we can understand, we can “get it” and help each other with compassion, empathy, and strength. The relationships we have make all the difference in what we can receive from others.
Yes, that is part of love and belonging—friendships, relationships, they matter. These can bring power to our lives or drain us. Chose wisely. When we are in the weeds, we sometimes need a strong friend to help us see, light a path for us or lead us to a professional.
We all need a helping hand at some point in life. Sometimes we are the hand that helps and sometimes we are the hand reaching out for help. It’s all good. There is nothing wrong with you because you find yourself in the weeds.
Freedom and Boundaries are sometimes left in the shadows as we run around, are lost in the weeds, and feel overwhelmed. Sometimes we can stop and look at the Serenity Prayer considering what we can and cannot control. Some folks think of this as an “AA” thing, but it is a wonderful way to start and end each day too.
God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.
(Written by Reinhold Niebuhr)
This little prayer (and there is a longer version too) can help with our choices with Freedom and Boundaries. This can also give us some power too. Letting go can empower us and free us.
Fun is exciting for many of us, except if we are in the weeds. “Who has time for fun?” We may say. The truth is, we may need to go have some fun to see clearly again. Yes, sometimes taking a break, going for a walk or swim, or seeing a good movie, can open us up to fun and we can find our way out of the weeds.
When we are “in the weeds” we can feel lost and overwhelmed. There is hope. There is help. Never ever give up. What lessons do you think might come from being in the weeds?
Wherever we find ourselves today, let’s try to be present. If we’re in the weeds and need to just be present there, let’s try to do so without all the judgement we put on ourselves. If we need a hand, let’s get it. If we can offer someone else a hand, let’s do that also.
We’ve got this! Together or alone, wherever we find ourselves today…let’s find peace.
Please note:
All of the blogs on this site are meant for education and encouragement. The blogs are not intended as “advice” or any “therapeutic intervention.” No referrals are provided, however, if you need services, contact your doctor or local mental health services.
