I have a process that I call “sorting the laundry”.

By the time we reach out for help, be it coaching or counselling, we have usually waited – a long time. It’s usually a “final straw” that pushes us to make the appointment. And by the time we do, we don’t know where to even start. Overwhelmed is the predominant emotion.

It’s like a massive pile of disorganized, dirty laundry, mixed up and dreadful.

That’s when we need to sort the laundry. We figure out together what needs to be dealt with first. It’s messy at first but when we get going, we find some rhythm.

It doesn’t take long to create a little order out of the disorder and a plan.

Here is what you can do on your own. First, take a breath and calmly ask yourself what is the most pressing matter that needs your focus. Second, consider if you are necessitating – when everything seems “critical”. Thirdly, do what I call “the now step” that is, one thing that will make your situation better immediately; something that can be done NOW.

Life gets messy. Sometimes you just need to start sorting.