Sometimes I feel like the world is going around and around and I’m on the sidelines watching. Head spinning. Eyes bulging. People laughing and smiling.

And, I’m trying to get on, I’m trying to find the on-ramp but it’s escaping me.

I feel confused. Little. Lost. Overwhelmed. Dizzy. Left out. Alone.

Lately, when these thoughts bubble up and I feel scattered or disorganized or like I’m not enough, I have made a pact with myself.

Pay really close attention to where I am feeling that overwhelm by tapping into all of my Abundant Mama tools … and then get up and do something completely different.

Sometimes, that’s all it takes to wake me up and snap me out of feeling stuck.

The point is to DO something. Stop dwelling. Stop listing all the crimes against you and humanity. Stop making lists of shoulds and coulds. Stop analyzing.

And just do the doing.

Clarity arrives sooner or later.

It always, always does.

Mothers put too much pressures on ourselves. On our lives. We forget how important we are because people aren’t calling on the phone or knocking on the door.

We’re so busy performing and doing. Making and building. Creating and cleaning.

We forget that life is here for us to live, too.

Instead, we lean in on our mistakes, the imperfections, the not enoughs and we find ourselves surrounded by a negative thought pattern that can eat us alive in suffering.

Negative thoughts rise and pop and snap and crumble all around us.

You suck.

You can’t do anything.

You should give up.

No one likes you.

You can’t do anything right.

The only way to snap out of this Land of Bitter and Sour — is to snap out of it.

And the only way to do that is to get out of your head.

Get. Out. Of. Your. Head.

A change of scenery always helps. A change in task or mindset.

• Blow bubbles. In the house, if you must.
• Take a walk in the grass and stand under a tree.
• Move to a new room, or a new floor in the house and turn up the music.
• Go walk in a snow-covered field. Or just stand under the stars with a blanket over your shoulders.
• Write poetry. Read a book from a faraway land.
• Watch nature at work. Watch for the birds busily nesting.

And realize you are not alone in trying to find your way. We are all trying right there next to you.

You are not alone in this big, big world.

And you belong. We all do.

Step on to the platform of life — or not — it’s up to you.

Your negative thoughts are the only thing stopping you.

Just do something. Keep your eyes forward.

What works for you when you need to snap out of a negative thought pattern?