being overwhelmed | The Burnout Queens

The parade, the evacuation and poached eggs

August 1, 2015

It’s the first of August and where we live it’s the biggest Pride Parade in the UK (160,000 people) and we’ve never seen a pride parade before, so off we went to snap a few shots, watch the fun and samba. But…

A FUNNY THING HAPPENED WHILE WAITING FOR THE PARADE…

There we were on the corner, across from the seafront. Camera in hand we were perfectly positioned to enjoy the parade and snap away. Here’s the all important shot that we didn’t realise would change our morning really fast! You see (and I mean look for yourself) across the street there are 2 crowd stewards behind a street post. As they were there, a police motorcyclist arrived to help with the parade advancing. We saw the steward cross and say something to the officer and he went over and looked up at the sign as well. (strange we thought…these highly sensitive minds were attentive)

The policeman came back to his bike, radioed the ‘sergeant that they’d found something (this is NOT good news). Dr T turned to me and said, we should move, something’s not right. Off we went down the road, after noticing a small wireless transmitter strapped to the signpost!

So a few hundred yards down the road, we stood as more motorcycle police arrived…we moved even further down and across the road so that we could make a hasty exit up the street if need be. Then everyone was being told to move back from the area and the parade was halted in it’s tracks. We just looked at one another…

…you know living in this beautiful country has made our North American it’s-too-far-away brains become more aware of the nearness of danger on the streets. We decided it wasn’t worth the risk (who would look after The Burnout Pups) and if we were far enough away from a possible blast, neither of us wanted to experience the horror of seeing injuries and rescues.

So, we decided (and this is where I love that we are decisive) off to enjoy a poached eggs on toast breakfast. If nothing came of this then we would be wimpish, but alive. If something happened, we were safely wimpish! Our first attempt at a large crowd event in the UK and we ‘almost’ experienced it…but wait

After breakfast we walked back down to the beach and saw the parade still waiting to begin. A few questions later and we found out a package had been found and the army bomb squad had come and blown it up. The significance of this is, we were standing in the crowd a few feet in front of this package when we noticed the device on the post across the street!

We don’t know what to think, or how to react. But…

As we walked home, along came the police closing the street because the parade has now been re-routed to come our way. All is not lost. We had front row position while the bands blasted fantastic club music.

We have snapshots, we had fun and best of all, we arrived home safe and sound. We can’t thank that parade steward enough for her outstanding call for help…and the poached eggs were delish as well.

The very things we have stayed away from (large crowd gatherings) for the exact reason (bomb threats) is now part of our reality. When we moved for adventure, this is not what we had envisioned, but there you have it. One morning in the life of The Burnout Queens! xx

Sage advise for Moving Day

July 31, 2015

This message was sent to a VIP client a few days ago because she was moving. We thought the advice and caring was worthy of a share with all of you! xx

“Hello darling…just a suggestion to make sure that you protect your energy today.

Moving is strenuous and tiring.

-Make sure you take snacks with you: fruit or dried fruit or a muffin or something.

-Make sure you have a bottle of water.

Once it all gets under way chaos reigns supreme until quiet descends and you shut the door on the backsides of those movers (hopefully backsides which are not visible as with all worker boys! Lol) I’m hoping you won’t go into the office after your move but will breathe as they leave, then go get yourself something nourishing to eat and then quietly come back and begin settling in.”

(note: advice was 100% taken on board)

Try it for your move. With love, The Burnout Queens.

Never Let Me Loose in the Dictionary!

July 25, 2015

I was nose deep in the Oxford dictionary (a childhood habit I still secretly indulge in) looking up a word that I and many other HSPs frequently use, and that word is DRUDGERY. Most often it is used in association with work. However, I was thinking how sometimes that same feeling of drudgery goes beyond work, way beyond a job. There have been times in my life when I felt like I was drowning in drudgery! So what is going on when LIFE starts feeling like drudgery? Here’s the dictionary scoop on drudgery…

Drudgery refers to dull and hard work. Yes, that simple. I admit I was expecting more. Now, I’m confused. You see I don’t mind hard work and occasionally I even relish dull work (it gives my overactive brain a rest, like folding socks). No, drudgery doesn’t quite capture the experience of feeling like someone has turned the lights out on your life. Back to my old friend Oxford!

Now here’s a word, TRUDGE: to walk with slow and heavy steps. Yes, that definitely describes what some days feel like when you are not enjoying life, but simply going through the motions. Life definitely feels like this when you are in the process of burning out. (I used to describe this feeling as walking through wet cement). Then it hit me!

It’s TRUDGERY!

Trudging is existential. When I am trudging I am lost. I am caught in the minutia of life. One day blurs into the next. I’m exhausted and totally unsatisfied. I am just doing and don’t know why. (Hmmm, sounds a lot like burnout!) I don’t know where I’m going, I have no idea why I’m going, but I’m going. The thing about trudgery, you can be fully in motion and still feel meaningless.

“Sorry don’t have time to sit down and think about where I am going, you see I’m trudging.” Trudge trudge trudge… Next stop, burnout.

Right, now I’m going to confuse you even more! (Never let me loose in a dictionary!) Seriously I can’t even remember why this word jumped out at me, but it did and behold it made perfect sense. REDEEM. Now there were a few variations on this theme, but one made total sense: to regain possession of something in exchange for payment. BINGO!

We have been “trudging towards redemption!” Walking with slow and heavy steps through the dull and the mundane (don’t forget tedious!) in order to regain possession of something which you have come to believe you are paying for day in and day out with monotony, boredom, lack of enthusiasm, loss of energy and ultimately with what feels like selling your soul! And in this moment of enlightenment we have our solution. Right here right now we are writing off your debt!

You don’t have to ‘make payment’ for who you are, how you live your life, the work you want to do, your creative soul, or just being YOU!

Say it out loud, “ I will not trudge through my life. My days of trudging are over. (We can’t hear you! Louder!) My days of trudging are history!

We know that sometimes it’s ‘easier’ to trudge than to be all paid-up and ready to move on. “Oh no, move on where?” You don’t need to know where right now, or even how. You just need to know that deciding not to trudge is a one time decision that is yours to make.

Swearing off trudging is one of those big life U-turns! In an instant everything is different.
(tweet this)

Oh, we know it’s not always that simple and it doesn’t automatically mean your relationship will get an instant make-over or your job won’t be drudgery come Monday, but it really isn’t as complex as you think. Here’s what you need to do…

Each and every morning when your feet hit the floor, recommit to your present and your future. Remind yourself that you will no longer ‘trudge towards redemption’.

You are free NOW to walk your own path, or dance it if you dare!
You are free NOW to do the work you love to do.
You are free NOW to pursue your dreams and desires.
You are free NOW to live as boldly and as bravely as the very unique, sensitive, creative YOU chooses to!
You are free NOW to live life, your life, as YOU.