Too Much Of Zooming In

Hi there! I hope you're feeling great today. I was overwhelmed the past weeks. There were a lot of factors -- work, home, life. Being an over-thinker, simple tasks are magnified a hundred times making it appear too heavy to carry. Maybe some of you have felt this way before or are feeling it right now. I got you guys! I feel you and I truly understand you. Let me share with you a few of the things that helped me get over this feeling.


ZOOM OUT!
If you're a designer like me or have at least used any of the design software around (Hello Adobe!), you very well know the command or control to zoom in or zoom out of your art board. Often times we zoom in to make sure our alignment is correct, a spot has been covered, or we got the shape right. It's usually the same in everything we do in our lives. We zoom in to every minute of our lives. Every second, there should be something happening. No loopholes, no dusts, no scratches! It's eye straining to stay focused on these tiny details but very (very!) addicting! My way to tap out is to simply zoom out. In real life, you can't just use Ctrl+0 or Ctrl+- (yup, I'm using Windows). So how do we zoom out IRL?

Step away from the zone
If you're feeling overwhelmed doing your work at home or in the office, step away for a few minutes from your station. By just standing up you already changed your view of your surroundings. Your coffee mug suddenly feels far away from you or your monitor looks a bit smaller. It will feel less suffocating even for just a few seconds.
If you're feeling overwhelmed by all the people around you, try to find a safe spot to be alone. For example, lock up in your bathroom. Close your eyes and just focus on your breathing. It will help you relax your mind and allow you to regain your composure.

Meditate
It looks easy but meditating needs some form of strength to actually get started with it. But I assure you that even a 5-minute meditation goes a long way throughout your day. As physical activity is for your body, meditation is the exercise for your mind. It has taught me to let go of the past and not to worry about the future. The only place and time I am in control of is the present.

Look at something from afar
Have you ever felt totally submerged into whatever you're doing or thinking? Try to really step back from the situation and look at it as if you're an outsider. Earlier this week, after a tiring day, I stepped out of our bedroom-slash-office. I was just standing there by the door and looked at the corner where my computer is situated. I suddenly felt blessed and happy! Why? Well, there are a lot of things I saw by just looking from afar. I felt grateful I have a spot where I can focus on my work. I'm happy my job provides for our family of 5. It's relieving to know that work has its limitations too! It has a deadline, it has an end shift, my computer can be turned off!

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Sometimes, it takes more than these simple ways to get over the feeling of being swamped by everything we have to do and have to be in our lives. Looking from afar may mean going out of town. Stepping away from the zone could actually be about taking a lunch out. What we need to be reminded of everyday is that we are given the freedom to be in charge of our lives. We are blessed by God everyday and we can only see that if we simply zoom out!

Thanks for reading! Have an awesome day ahead!