Life offers us challenges. Every day.

Sometimes we have mountains to climb, other times molehills. Whether you are faced with an arduous ascent or a quick trip over a speed bump, progress can only happen one step at a time.

This morning I awoke to over a dozen client-related emails people had sent to me overnight. That meant they were working on a Sunday. It wasn’t that they expected me to respond right away. But it started my Monday morning with a tight feeling of overwhelm. A mountain of work had been created whilst I slept.

So it is in our 24/7 world, especially if you work with people outside your time zone.

Taking it one email at a time, I quickly surveyed my work landscape. What seemed like a mountain turned into a molehill the moment I waded through the requests, comments and threads. By mid-morning I had a handle on my day and even had time for my daily walk through the woods.

I breathed in the Slow and remained mindful: Just because people want things from us doesn’t mean we have to say ‘yes’ the moment the request is made. Sometimes a gentle ‘no’ works wonders.

Panic helps no one. Patience does. If you are flying into overwhelm this beautiful Monday, remember to take it one baby step at a time. You are only human, as are the people making demands of you. Send them a dose of love, and one to yourself too.

It all works out in the end just as it should. And never doubt the power of intention. If you intend to have a good day, nothing can stop you – not even a Mount Everest of emails.