Feeling defeated by dehoarding? I’ve been there, and I’m trying to get out of it, so in this episode I unpack what’s really behind that sense of hopelessness, breaking it down into manageable pieces, and sharing practical steps for moving forward - even when it all feels impossible. If you’re stuck, overwhelmed, or just too tired to start, you’re not alone. So let’s talk about some concrete things you can try.
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- Feeling Defeated by Dehoarding
- Host’s recent struggle with feeling defeated and hopeless
- Common reasons for feeling defeated:
- The enormity of the task
- Personal life challenges and lack of time
- Breaking down what “defeated” means for individuals
- Self-Reflection and Identifying Obstacles
- Using self-questioning techniques inspired by CBT
- Listing and mapping out the causes of defeat on paper
- Examples of personal obstacles:
- Fatigue and physical health
- Difficulty concentrating
- Emotional overwhelm and stress
- Shame and self-blame
- Sense of impossibility
- Breaking Down Barriers and Theme Identification
- Categorising specific reasons for defeat
- Writing actionable notes beside each challenge
- Strategies for managing each obstacle:
- Sleep hygiene and physical health maintenance
- Working on self-compassion and challenging self-blame
- Supporting concentration and mental health through self-care
- Trial and error with productivity and to-do lists
- Coping with Overwhelm
- Recognising overwhelm as a rational but paralysing response
- Techniques for reducing overwhelm:
- Breaking tasks into tiny, actionable steps
- Focusing on achievable mini-goals
- Reframing "impossible" goals into manageable actions
- Addressing Stress
- How personal and environmental stress feeds into defeat
- Practical strategies:
- Tackling smaller, actionable tasks to relieve work/personal stress
- Honest communication with peers, family, and colleagues about overwhelm
- Accepting that some sources of stress require long-term coping rather than immediate solutions
- Tackling the Sense of Impossibility
- Recognising the vagueness of the feeling
- Returning to self-analysis to clarify what specifically feels impossible
- Using accumulated small improvements to chip away at the larger sense of defeat
- Dealing with Overwhelm and Taking Breaks
- Granting oneself intentional breaks to refresh perspective without guilt
- Comparing dehoarding effort to the need for breaks in work life
- Re-evaluating Plans and Expectations
- Assessing the effectiveness of current strategies and goals
- Adapting goals to current capacity and circumstances
- Seeking external feedback and community support
- The Importance of Support Systems
- Nurturing and expanding support from peers, professionals, and loved ones
- Recognising where additional support is needed
- Celebrating Small Wins
- The importance of acknowledging tiny victories
- Suggestions for gentle self-recognition and reward
- Recording achievements for self-motivation
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