What to do when you are overwhelmed by too many directions- you do not have to throw half of them away!

It can get very overwhelming to have too many ideas that you are working on at once. I know, I have spent most of my life doing it. But what I have found is that I like having a lot of ideas going- they feed off of each other.

Yes- it can be helpful to simplify.

If you are stopped up because they are all clamoring for attention and you can't get a good grip on any of them, it is a good idea to clarify which one or two you are working on right now.

But do not ditch the others. 

Just put them aside and let them rest. They will gestate- they will develop in the background without you having to do anything about it.

As a potter and a sculptor, I have had long stretches when I am not making pots. And then I come back to it, and fall in love with pots all over, I find that the shapes and ideas that I was working on before have developed without any direct attention from me. Same is true with the sculpture, or I should say with the various types of sculpture that I do. 

The cycles can happen within a week, within a year, within a month. The rhythms will change and are very particular to you.

So how do you figure out what to let rest and what to put your focus on right now?

When you feel that irritation or frustration that you are not getting anywhere and they are all clamoring, there is part of you that is asking you to pay attention.

And if you listen carefully, you will be able to hear the one that has lost its energy and motivation, that needs to take a nap, and the other one that is itching for attention.

It is really ok to listen to your desires here.

I find often that when I get that irritation it is because one of the things that I have been letting rest needs to wake up- and when I sit with it for a minute- it will become clear very quickly what needs to be done- what the next right step is.
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