Inspiration Overload and the Ever-Important Exhale

By 40 Comments


About Dave Ursillo

Dave Ursillo is a 25-year old writer, dreamer, blogger and life-explorer at DaveUrsillo.com. Dave is also a leadership speaker and founder of the Lead Without Followers alternative leadership movement. Follow him on Twitter, Facebook, or invite Dave to speak today.

My journey as a writer and personal development blogger has been an incredibly rewarding one.

I’ve written for dozens of blogs and met and befriended hundreds of awesome men and women across the globe who I otherwise would probably have never had the chance to speak with.

Nearly two years into writing for my blog DaveUrsillo.com, about a month ago I was suddenly overcome with feelings of lost direction. These feelings are ones that I’ve felt before: the uncharacteristic sense of absent guidance, misplaced motivation.

Suddenly, it felt like I forgot why I was writing in the first place, why I had a blog, and what my whole journey was even about.

What happened?

I pegged the misalignment of my inner spirit’s true purpose and direction as inspiration overload. You’re familiar with information overload, certainly. But inspiration overload is just as overwhelming a burden.

Information Overload? Meet Inspiration Overload

Inspiration overload is like information overload, but when you’re suddenly overwhelmed by outside-the-box thinking, grandiose calls-to-action, cutting-edge entrepreneurial or business philosophies and living principles.

You see, inspiration is incredible and important. But like anything else in life, too much inspiration has a counter-productive effect. With too many people telling you to try too many things and think about big concepts like life and purpose and love and spirit and philanthropy and changing your world, you’re suddenly susceptible to a major overload.

The burden is overwhelming. Your brain can’t process it all.

Instead of inspiring you to make changes and live better and work harder, you feel like you’re not working hard enough. Like you’re not smart enough, creative enough, empowered enough, good enough. Inspiration overload can exacerbate quiet, mild feelings of insecurity and doubt–and multiply them exponentially.

You might start to consciously or unconsciously ask yourself these questions:

  • “Mr. X is doing that now? Only a few days after launching his last best-selling product?”
  • “Joe Blow with another epic blog post–why do mine never look like that?”
  • “Ms. Y gave another brilliant performance in front of an auditorium of 5,000 people?”
  • “Another book deal for Mr. Z?”
  • “Jane Doe, how does she keep doing this, what am I doing wrong?!”

The Ever-Important Exhale

You can only take in so much at a time. Whether “information” or “inspiration,” sometimes you become so entrenched in the thoughts and ideas and actions of others that you suddenly lose sight of your own purpose, happiness and contentment.

In these moments, you need to exhale. Breathe out, literally and figuratively. To exhale is to unburden yourself.

On my end, I realized that I felt overcome by about a dozen emailed newsletters from remarkable thinkers and writers and creatives–many of whom I’m genuine friends with. I decided to unsubscribe from every email newsletter. It wasn’t a personal action against my friends; those inspiring bloggers across the web.

But, like me, you need to allow a natural pace for your own time and energy to manifest creativity, thinking, simply Being, unwinding, and in order to follow your heart and find your path.

Simplify, Simplify, Simplify

I also felt overburdened by a product development phase I was stuck in. I couldn’t determine how to package and distribute a short ebook manifesto I had written called Power from Within. The solution became: Simplify.

I threw out every one of the ideas that had become a cluster of frustration and indecisiveness, and conclusively decided to publish the manifesto completely for free and as a blog post on DaveUrsillo.com. Suddenly, the burden was lifted. I could breathe again.

And now my ideas are flowing. My purpose has found itself once more. My direction is back.

What About You?

Are you suffering from information or inspiration overload? What do you do to exhale and simplify? How do you avoid feeling overburdened by too many outside influences?

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...
Filed Under: Guest Authors, Psychology Tagged With: , , , , ,

Comments

  1. Kristin Noelle says:
    April 9, 2011 at 6:08 am

    I so relate to this feeling! I’m in it right this minute. Something strikes me as incredibly helpful about backing away from almost all input for a while to allow, like you say, your own time and energy to manifest creativity. I’m also planning to schedule in some time each day this week to listen attentively to my own heart – to sit with a journal and be focused solely on what I’m hearing from inside myself.

    Thanks so much for naming this emotion and getting my gears turning on addressing it!

    Reply
    • Dave Ursillo says:
      April 10, 2011 at 2:29 pm

      Hi Kristin!

      I’m very happy this piece resonated with you. I think everybody deals with these sorts of “overloads,” sometimes it just takes *another* person saying it for it to click in your head and realize it! It’s more and more important in our very overlapping and ever-connected world to step back and take time for yourself. Whether information overload or inspiration overload, it’s important to be alone with yourself :)

      Dave
      Dave Ursillo recently posted..16 Reasons Your Literary Agency Shouldn’t Sign Me

      Reply
  2. Victoria says:
    April 9, 2011 at 6:35 am

    Hello There,

    I really enjoyed reading your post about how you transformed your professional life to help others with your input. I could easily relate to it. I so appreciate your blogging efforts and your wanting to write to inspire people. I feel the same about the need to keep up morale and the importance of contributing what we can. I hope you will continue to put out your information. It really truly matters. Thank you for all you do!
    All the best,
    Victoria

    Reply
  3. Sandra / Always Well Within says:
    April 9, 2011 at 6:38 am

    Dave,
    There’s so much insight in this post! I too resonate with this idea of too much input. I think it’s really smart to get back in tune with your own pace and energy. I may very well follow your lead and unplug for all the extra input. Well done!
    Sandra / Always Well Within recently posted..Amazing Encounters with the Essence of Mind

    Reply
  4. Steven Aitchison says:
    April 9, 2011 at 7:02 am

    Hi Dave, I’d like to welcome you to CYT.

    I totally resonate with what you are saying in the post. I am going through something similar with my new course, there’s so many options and so many things I need to do, or feel I need to do. I took a few days off from it and came back refreshed and simplified it a little and feel much better for it. Still think I need to exhale a little more :)

    Thanks again for a great post.

    Reply
  5. Stuart says:
    April 9, 2011 at 7:11 am

    Dave, this was a thunderous post! Thanks so much for sharing!

    There’s lots of tools out there which help us to focus on cutting down useless information, and simplifying our intake. But cutting down on inspiration? No such resource that I’ve found.

    And I think we can do with something like your article to help us calm down, unwind, and realise that one thing at a time, one step at a time, is key to maintaining a healthy balance and sense of calm.

    Take care :-)
    Stuart recently posted..BE

    Reply
  6. Marty says:
    April 9, 2011 at 8:12 am

    Yes I’ve felt a bit of that coming on recently. Almost always these days I am pretty upbeat but in the last week I caught myself think a little less positively at work. Once I accepted that and let it go, I felt better. The point is, it is ok as you say to breath out in order to breath in again. Simple really, thats just nature.
    Thank you
    Marty recently posted..Action Plus Positive Learning Yields!

    Reply
  7. meg says:
    April 9, 2011 at 1:32 pm

    So THAT’S what it is! Thanks for this post, it really helps articulate what I go through periodically–so many ideas, so little time, and then it all feels so wrong. Time to step back from a few things!
    meg recently posted..What’s Minimalism Got to Do With It

    Reply
  8. Justin | Mazzastick says:
    April 9, 2011 at 3:16 pm

    I’ve experienced information and inspirational overload before but not so much these days. I have to make sure that I allow myself chill-out time in order to regain balance.
    Justin | Mazzastick recently posted..Are You Being Fairly Compensated For Your Work

    Reply
  9. Brandon Sutton says:
    April 9, 2011 at 4:32 pm

    Love this David. I’ve felt this same kind of ‘inspiration overload’ myself over the last year or so. I wanted to read every book and blog post that I connected with, but it was overwhelming. I don’t watch TV, ever, but I still couldn’t seem to get through all the content that I wanted to read. Then at some point I realized that I wasn’t making room for taking action on all that inspiration. I gave myself permission to not only take time for myself and my own writing, but to honor my own thinking and creative expressions. This shift made an incredible difference in my life.

    One of the best posts I’ve ever read is on this subject. It’s by Reese Spykerman. Check it out: http://escaping-mediocrity.com/day-18-reese-spykerman

    Going over to check out Power from Within now. Thanks! :)
    Brandon Sutton recently posted..Celebrating and a New Offering

    Reply
  10. Riley Harrison says:
    April 9, 2011 at 5:40 pm

    Hello Dave,
    Over stimulated perhaps and maybe overwhelmed but I’m not so sure about being over inspired. Inspiration can sometimes invoke a feeling of quiet determination rather than manic running-around-like-a- chicken-with-its-head-cut-off feelings. You might be right I’m just not sure.
    Riley
    Riley Harrison recently posted..ARE YOU STUCK

    Reply
  11. Evelyn Lim says:
    April 10, 2011 at 6:18 am

    I certainly have a lot of ideas and sometimes can get stumped as to how to weave them together beautifully. I don’t see it as “information overload” though. It always feels very good to be able to connect the dots and present things in a creative work of art. Finding my own voice is important, instead of getting distracted by what others are doing. The result is a unique expression. I meditate and allocate time for reaching a quiet space within myself every day.

    It’s great that you managed to sort out what’s needed by de-cluttering information which is not essential. Thanks for sharing about how you’ve done it!
    Evelyn Lim recently posted..Self Love Series Take A Self Love Quiz

    Reply
  12. Eren Mckay says:
    April 10, 2011 at 11:08 pm

    I totally relate to what you`re describing Dave. In fact people ask me.. did you go to that webinar? Or did you go to that seminar? Did you read so and so`s blog post? And I`m like ….nooooooo??? The best thing about being a writer is having the freedom to do things through our own inspiration, our own timing… the flow of our spirits produce the best work. I guess I wouldn’t call this inspiration overload, rather ~ obligation overload ~. If I wanted to feel obliged to do anything I would just go out and get myself a j.o.b.
    The one thing that I do when listening to anyone speak, or read their blog posts, or books is ask myself if that would work for me specifically and how so. The other day I was listening to a good friend of mine speak. She`s a successful coach and a wonderful person. However when I started listening to her, I started getting anxious, nervous and honestly, a bit freaked out. Immediately I turned off the recording and asked myself why I was feeling this way.. and couldn’t quite figure it out. Then a few weeks later, I listened to her again and she confessed that she was a type A personality. You see… I`m totally not type A. I believe in working based on flow and inspiration and genuine authenticity. Not in this “let me push myself to get more done” mode that so many type A people function on. Hey I`m not downing type As. However their ideas don`t inspire me.. don`t motivate and definitely don`t help me move forward. Anyways… all this to say that the practice of self awareness is essential to feel when something simply is not right and to just turn off other people`s voices and discover our own.
    All the best,
    Eren
    Eren Mckay recently posted..Children’s &amp family entertainment – Mike da Mustang

    Reply
    • Dave Ursillo says:
      April 12, 2011 at 12:16 pm

      Hey Eren!

      I’m right there with ya in terms of being a writer who goes on “flow and inspiration and genuine authenticity” rather than anything else. I like hearing from others who operate in different ways because it’s always great to learn from others and, even when you’re not learning a strategy or technique from someone else, you’re learning about another person and that you would probably not prefer to use the same methods that they use. It’s just important I think to remember that if you’re feeling overloaded, just exhale!

      Dave
      Dave Ursillo recently posted..Depression &amp Me

      Reply
  13. Mike Reeves-McMillan says:
    April 11, 2011 at 2:14 am

    I periodically get rid of email subscriptions and RSS subscriptions that I’m not acting on – however worthy they may be, if I’m not making use of them I may as well not have them in my life.

    Well done naming a phenomenon that’s only increasing, with so many people going online and producing masses of fine material on every conceivable topic.
    Mike Reeves-McMillan recently posted..How Not to Change Your Life- Keep Doing What Hasn’t Worked

    Reply
  14. rob white says:
    April 11, 2011 at 1:01 pm

    Hi Dave,
    I the idea of “inspiration overload” is perfect. Too many folks think that reading self-help books/blogs or being part time ‘life-coaches’ for others or talking about success will bring them the joyous life they dream of experiencing. IT WON’T! …And when it doesn’t the “inspiration overload” leads to a downward spiral of doubt and anxiety. The False Self is that person who pretends to be up to something, but after decades of demanding and waiting, we realize we took its advice and have lost our way. It’s not bad to admit that we’ve lost our way, it is the first step in the right direction!
    rob white recently posted..Freedom from Deep-Level Discouraging Voices

    Reply
    • Dave Ursillo says:
      April 12, 2011 at 12:19 pm

      Hey Rob! Exactly — ““inspiration overload” leads to a downward spiral of doubt and anxiety.” Sources of inspiration are wonderful and plentiful, but I think when we get lost in them we are inundated with doubt and fear. The point here is that we ought to feel empowered and self-reliant. Use inspiration when we can, but strive to BECOME a source of inspiration by our choice rather than get stuck in a perpetual state of *needing* it to function. :)
      Dave Ursillo recently posted..Depression &amp Me

      Reply
  15. Tammy Matthews says:
    April 11, 2011 at 4:47 pm

    Dave,
    Overload is a regular word for me nowadays! I think I’m on track and then someone else brings another concept in – the newest and greatest – and I lose track and feel overwhelmed and overloaded. I feel like I can’t even function at times.

    That’s when it’s necessary to slow down – take a deep breath and take myself to a place where it’s peaceful and well, warm and fuzzy.

    Thank you for sharing this – I thought it was just me that had overload!
    Tammy
    Tammy Matthews recently posted..Peace of Mind

    Reply
    • Dave Ursillo says:
      April 12, 2011 at 12:26 pm

      Happily, Tammy!

      I think it benefits us to choose our inspiration during these moments, or finding it by living life instead of getting bombarded by emails and tweets and facebook messages, etc. Let the natural course of things supersede the artificial methods :)
      Dave Ursillo recently posted..Depression &amp Me

      Reply
  16. Nea | Self Improvement Saga says:
    April 12, 2011 at 5:02 am

    Hi Dave. I can’t say I’ve suffered from inspiration overload but I’ve definitely dealt with information overload. Sometimes, I’ve tried to turn too much of that information into action, which definitely spells disaster. However, I’m rarely inspired to do too many things at once. It takes something really special to light my fire in such a way that I feel as if I can’t NOT do it. That’s inspiration for me. I can imagine that frustration would mount if that same feeling hit me for multiple projects at one time. Whewwww.
    Nea | Self Improvement Saga recently posted..Inspirational Thoughts- Make the Best of the Worst

    Reply
    • Dave Ursillo says:
      April 12, 2011 at 12:21 pm

      Hi Nea!

      Being so familiar with your blog I can’t imagine you’ve much experienced inspiration overload, being such a source of inspiration yourself! One “flip side” perspective as a blogger like you is I’m considering if my twice-weekly blog posting schedule might ITSELF cause “inspiration overload” in readers. I’m experimenting by switching to one post per week for a while just to see how readers respond. Food for thought :)
      Dave Ursillo recently posted..Depression &amp Me

      Reply
  17. Mark Johnson says:
    April 12, 2011 at 5:05 am

    I think it’s very important not to get too obsessed by how and why we write. So many people get caught up in their own unique bubble, at the same as ignoring others. People should write when they feel the need to. Nothing should be forced but natural.

    Reply
  18. Lloyd Burrell says:
    April 13, 2011 at 6:58 am

    Hi Dave,
    This is a brilliant post! The solution I have found to inspiration overload is “structure”. More often than not, such moments render the false impression that you get many new ideas. Once you structure them (this is, after all, another version for simplification) you can see which one really works and which one doesn’t. The more structured your ideas are, the closer the real solutions.

    Reply
  19. Joyce at I Take Off The Mask says:
    April 14, 2011 at 3:32 am

    I believe I’ve felt ‘inspiration overload’ at one time as well. This kind of overload also seems to add a certain pressure that we may not be doing ‘enough’, at least, as compared with other people who seem more ‘inspired’ than us. ;) I agree with the EXHALE method in reducing such an overload. We can also refrain from taking in additional INSPIRED WORDS, or FILTER only what we need for the time being. BE STILL. Two very powerful words, for it is often in the silence in our hearts that we find wisdom. Whenever I feel overwhelmed, I take on Jesus’ advice on prayer, to lock myself up in a room where only the Father can hear the prayers of my heart.
    Joyce at I Take Off The Mask recently posted..Do You Need a Backup Plan

    Reply
  20. Murigi says:
    April 15, 2011 at 3:04 am

    Dave, thank you so kindly for your post. It certainly described me and the situation I am in currently. I live half-around the the world and so I am surprised and encouraged that as human beings we are basically faced by similar challenges despite our geographical location. Then it naturally follows that the solutions are also basically the same. I have read the post in the morning and I feel encouraged already. My day will be better. Thanks once more.

    Reply
  21. Laura Meehan says:
    April 18, 2011 at 9:33 pm

    Great article. It is sometimes hard to think with so much information around us,everywhere. Good choice to simplify. What helps me to get some clarity is to read Nelson Mandela’s 1994 Inaugural Speech. Here is the link: http://www.allowyourlighttoshine.com/restore-well-being/success
    To your Inspired life,
    Laura Meehan

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. INCREASE YOUR VALUE « terry mokwunyei says:
    May 8, 2011 at 8:26 pm

    [...] Inspiration Overload and the Ever-Important Exhale (stevenaitchison.co.uk) [...]

    Reply

Speak Your Mind

*

CommentLuv badge