Where Does Your Overflow Go?

Have you been flooded at work lately?  Feeling so much that you can’t see straight?

Perhaps the voice in your head responds by saying,
- “Feelings aren’t even real.
- You have more important things to do right now.
- Just get over it, move on.”

But here’s the thing. The flooding is real.

It’s your nervous system responding to your world. And as much as we might wish otherwise… it’s not something we can relentlessly shove down.

If you’re leading right now – holding space, making decisions, navigating a million competing priorities - you need somewhere for that overflow to go.

And I’ll give you a metaphor, one that stopped me in my tracks today.

Near where I live, there’s an overflow basin built into the park. Now when the rains come, it catches excess water so it doesn’t flood my neighborhood.

It’s really unusual to see this grassy field immersed in water, so I stopped here to look at it. And I felt so deeply – YES – we as leaders need this too – this overflow space.

Otherwise … our overwhelm leaks out.

In our tone. In our energy. In a meeting where the snark slips out and we’re dismayed to see how it lands.

And this is why I think coaching is so vital.

Not a luxury, not something you get to when everything else is handled. But a place to land in the middle of it all – on the regular.

A space to slow down, untangle what’s happening, and choose your next move – rather than reacting from overwhelm or shutting down entirely.

I know all too well – nonprofit director roles can be lonely and pressure-filled.

There’s few people at your organization who “get it,” and even if they do, it may not be appropriate to share with them.

That’s why I’m here as a coach. To listen deeply. To hold the overflow. To marvel at your brave heart. And to call you forward in all of your brilliance.

If your heart leaps in recognition of this, I hope you’ll reach out to explore. There’s never any pressure. Only presence, and a deep commitment to helping you find what’s right for you.