A common response to overwhelm involves the mostly passed over tertiary of the trio in systematic human responses, freeze. Fight, flight, and freeze. Where freeze is to shut down an curl up in a ball, playing dead to hopefully stave off a predator. It is interesting that such a response has existed given that in most part, predators that would be chasing the ancient man, would be doing so to eat him. Either way, just as we have traded spears for guns, we have traded lions for modern-day problems like deadlines and job interviews and family dinner. The problem itself can be objectively less lethal than its originally constructed means, and can still pose the same response to the same stress level as facing a lion in the wild. Freeze can occur when one faces a perceived mountain of work and effort, instead of beginning one step at a time, they freeze in progress or place, can curl up into a ball, and even go so far as to destructively reduce the number of hours they foresee spending on the pile via methods far less ideal. To combat freeze, one must breathe. Breathing is the link between the automatic and intentional/manual responses of the body. Breathe and begin to work with it objectively, seek support or at the very least play the devil’s advocate in the direction of progress. Construct bite-sized steps, and then execute on the new plan rather than the life itself.

Meditate.

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