This Wednesday Wisdom post is long overdue, so let’s get to it!

Sometimes, life can become overwhelming. I’m sure you’ve experienced that feeling once in a while – and if you haven’t, please let me know your secret to survival.

Right now, I’m dealing with two mountains: one, a manuscript that needs to be edited and that, as you can probably see, needs some work. 🙂 And two, a huge pile of jeans that needs to be ironed. I throw that example in to show you overwhelm often happens in more than one area of life and can hit us simultaneously.

There’s a way to tackle mountains.

For me, when the to-do list gets too long or life gets too crazy, the answer is to take things “bird by bird.”  In case you’re not familiar with the phrase, it comes from a wonderful book by Anne Lamott called Bird by Bird.

The book has been a writer and reader favorite since it was first published in 1994. Its full title is Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life.

That title comes from a story Lamott tells about her ten-year-old brother and a school report on birds.

He’d had months to work on the project, which was now due the next day. He had compiled a huge mountain of books and papers and supplies to help him write the report. And, naturally, as he stared at the mountain, he became immobilized.

I would, too, wouldn’t you?

In one of the well-quoted pieces from the book, their father gave her brother this advice:

“Bird by bird, buddy. Just take it bird by bird.”

Great advice, isn’t it?

Don’t bite off more than you can chew.

Move forward one step at a time.

Put one foot in front of the other.

“Just take it bird by bird.”

All my best,

Barbara