Calm The Noise

Quiet the Static: Turning Overwhelm into "Whelm" & Winning Small 🧘‍♂️

Ever cross a finish line only to see a "START" sign for the next race? That’s whelm. In this episode, we move beyond generic advice into a grounded personal development strategy for a noisy world. We share our raw Miami triathlon journey—fighting through sugar sand—to prove that recovery isn’t laziness; it’s performance fuel.

In this episode, you will learn to:

• Avoid the Success Table Trap: Overcome the fear that more success equals more exhaustion.
• Shift Identity via Micro-Wins: Use "can’t-fail" steps to prove you are someone who follows through.
• Filter the Noise: Mute the digital "interrogation" to hear your quiet, powerful inner voice.

Mindset Nuggets for Sustainable Momentum:

• Name the "Whelm": You aren't drowning; your system is just "full." Name it to pace it. (Believe in your circumstances).
• The Sugar Sand Principle: Constant pushing causes burnout. True grit is knowing when to turn the noise off.
• The Inner Coach: The critic is loud and vague; the coach is concise and kind. (Believe in yourself).
• Identity > Willpower: Willpower is a draining battery; identity is a self-sustaining motor.
• Flow as a Filter: Use meditation or creative play to mute limiting beliefs. (Believe in a higher power).

Stop the race to nowhere. Hit play to quiet the static and start Living Lucky® today!

How to stop feeling overwhelmed, importance of recovery in success, micro-wins for habit building, managing digital noise, positive thinking for stress.

• "How do I deal with New Year's overwhelm?" Reframe "overwhelm" as "whelm"—a neutral state of a full system. Reduce external inputs (noise), focus on recovery as a performance task, and commit to "micro-wins" that are too small to fail.
• "What is a micro-win in personal development?" A micro-win is a goal chunked down into a tiny, manageable action (e.g., walking one block instead of running a mile). These wins build a new identity of consistency rather than relying on fleeting willpower.

Mindset, Burnout, Goal Setting, Micro-Wins, Productivity, Mental Health, Recovery, Life Coaching, Living Lucky, Jason Shelfer, Jana Banana Shelfer, Millionaire Mindset, Best Podcast, Best Life Coach

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The 4 pillars of Living Lucky
Believe in yourself
Believe in the people around you
Believe in your circumstances and
Believe that God is working through you, for you, and always conspiring in your favor.

*Previously Recorded

Chapters

• 0:00 Welcome And Today’s Big Feeling
• 0:20 Reframing Overwhelm As Whelm
• 1:05 Success Pressure And Losing Momentum
• 2:00 Fear Of Success And Exhaustion
• 3:40 Noise, Speed Of Change, And Stillness
• 4:40 Resolutions Fatigue And Blank Stares
• 6:00 The Finish Line That Says Start
• 8:00 Triathlon Story And Emotional Toll
• 10:00 Interrogation Noise And Awareness
• 11:20 Chunking Goals Into Micro Wins
• 12:40 Quieting The Mind To Hear Wisdom

Transcript

Jana Shelfer: 0:00

Are you ready to create a life you crave? Let's spin that doom loop of negativity into an upward success cycle and start Living Lucky®. Good morning. I'm Jana. I'm Jason. And we are Living Lucky®.

Jason Shelfer: 0:19

You are too.

Jana Shelfer: 0:20

We're talking about overwhelm. See, even the word is overwhelming because my friend has helped me reframe this and she says, you're not overwhelmed, you're welmed. You're welmed. You're underwhelmed, you're welmed, you're overwhelmed, you're all around whelmed. Yes. You're just welmed. And when it comes to the beginning of the year, I often experience this because, as you know, we've just done a three-part series on goal setting, intentions, and yet we're on day seven of the new year. I still am getting my footing.

Jason Shelfer: 1:00

Right.

Jana Shelfer: 1:01

And and there's these feelings of, oh my gosh, the race has already begun and I'm in the bathroom.

Jason Shelfer: 1:06

Yeah, so we've we've taken a crap.

Jana Shelfer: 1:09

Because that's happening.

Jason Shelfer: 1:10

Somebody blew the whistle and I'm not at the starting line.

Jana Shelfer: 1:12

Uh-huh. I'm in the porta potty.

Jason Shelfer: 1:14

So it's it's really funny because, and I say funny because when I look at sometimes when we look at our own lives, we have to find the humor in it, right? Yes. Because we spent a lot of time creating this massive list of what we want to accomplish. Because we just came off of the golden year. I know so much.

Jana Shelfer: 1:35

That there is a little pressure. Like, oh my gosh, we can't just we can't just sit at the success table.

Jason Shelfer: 1:40

You're right. Yes. Sitting at the success table too long creates complacency.

Jana Shelfer: 1:45

Eating all the gold.

Jason Shelfer: 1:46

And and it also you start losing your momentum, right?

Jana Shelfer: 1:48

Yes. We got to keep it going. Which is what I find fun. And I think challenges, that's what I love about life.

Jason Shelfer: 1:56

So there's a there's a question that I would pose is are you sitting at the success table too long, or have you cosied up to the table of defeat? Because I think sometimes we we stop making goals, we stop setting intentions because we we focus too heavily on what didn't get done or where we aren't. Ah you know, and it's so there's there's there's two sides of this table.

Jana Shelfer: 2:22

And I think or there's also the fear of you know what, I I did my absolute best this past year. There's no way I could do better.

Jason Shelfer: 2:31

Oh, that's big.

Jana Shelfer: 2:32

Right? Yeah, I mean, that's a real fear. It's almost a fear of potential.

Jason Shelfer: 2:38

Of yeah, fear of fear of success, fear of fear of success, fear of the possibility. If I if I get more successful, I will be busier, I'll be more tired, all these things that subconsciously we we know, but we're not we may not throw it out there straight up against the wall and look at it because it's like I don't want to see that part of me.

Jana Shelfer: 2:58

You just gave me an aha moment because there is there is this, oh my gosh, I'm already exhausted right now the way it is. And if we do any more, any any better.

Jason Shelfer: 3:12

Like the last race is over. Like last year's race is like we just ended that. Do I get to just go and take a nap? Do I get to have that recovery period? You know, because so many people just got through this hectic holiday season. They just got through finishing that last year, and they're like, I just I took a vacation, but that wasn't my break. Like, because I was I was entertaining, I was talking, I was having all this stimulus during that time frame. And I just like subconsciously, I know I need myself. I need to recharge myself.

Jana Shelfer: 3:44

I feel like in this ever-changing world, and with AI technology, it just feels like the change is exacerbated. Yep. Right? We're just constantly moving, and there's so much noise, there's so much noise out there, and there are all these emotions that we are juggling internally. And exactly what you just said, sometimes it's hard to maybe pinpoint what is it that I want and where do I want to put my energy.

Jason Shelfer: 4:19

And I and part of that is is all the stuff you just talked about, is that we don't give ourselves the moment of turning it all off, or they're just saying, you know what, I'm not subscribing to the noise right now.

Jana Shelfer: 4:32

So along those lines, and I I know we're talking about a few things all together, so stay with us, stay with us. We've had a couple meetings this past week. And in those meetings, of course, because it's the first week of January, everyone is talking about New Year's resolutions and goals, like you said. In that, I have looked around the room and trying to gauge people's reactions, deer and headlights.

Jason Shelfer: 5:01

Yeah, it's when asking you.

Jana Shelfer: 5:02

When you say, What is your new year's resolution? People are like, I'm just trying to get my underwear clean.

unknown: 5:08

Right.

Jason Shelfer: 5:09

Right, trying to take a bath once a week.

Jana Shelfer: 5:11

I just have to remind myself to shower.

Jason Shelfer: 5:13

Yeah. There's so it's the question, what's your new year's resolution? And is there anything you would like to accomplish this year? And the overwhelming response is just blank stares. Like, uh like, oh my, like, are we at that point already?

Jana Shelfer: 5:27

And we're seven days into the new year. And again, I just I feel like the change around us, the everything externally is just moving really, really rapidly. So and so it is it is hard to get still and hear that internal voice of what is it that I want to do? And like we just started this podcast, many times there's another voice inside us that is full of overwhelm, fear, uncertainty.

Jason Shelfer: 6:00

So imagine that overwhelm that would hit if you were doing a triathlon, you hit the finish line of the triathlon and it and the finish line said start. So that's how I think our sub, like sometimes we look at these yearly transitions as I just crossed the finish line.

Jana Shelfer: 6:17

That would be so defeating.

Jason Shelfer: 6:19

However, I now have another triathlon that if I want to keep up with the world and keep up with the racers, yeah, I have to start anew right now.

Jana Shelfer: 6:28

You're you're so right, Jason. And it's continued.

Jason Shelfer: 6:32

The older you get, you're like, I can't keep this pace.

Jana Shelfer: 6:35

I just know that from the few triathlons we've done in our lives, literally would we- We need time to cry at night. We always cry. Jason and I, we always cry. Sometimes I the one that I remember the most is the one in Miami. I knew that ended on a mile of sugar sand. Sandy beach.

Jason Shelfer: 6:58

And by the time we got through that sand, which And for first-time listeners, Janna uses a wheelchair, so having a mile of sugar sand to go through is a very daunting task.

Jana Shelfer: 7:09

And we did this together. So Jason was like, I got you, I got you, babe. And I mean, I was pushing as hard as I could. He was pushing me, but his legs were exhausted. He would fall in the sand and he'd be like, I can't go on. And I'm like, come on, come on, honey. One foot in front of the other. I see these. They were already putting up the grandstands, like people were shutting down, they were taking down the mics. I'm like, we're gonna finish this.

Jason Shelfer: 7:34

We're gonna finish before the last person. There were definitely that was probably the crying the most. And it wasn't a crying because it was a crying because we got there.

Jana Shelfer: 7:45

Okay, so could you imagine if we would have finished that?

Jason Shelfer: 7:49

And they're like, it starts. It says start. You just made it to the start line.

Jana Shelfer: 7:53

Now, how would you have you would have said that I'm done?

Jason Shelfer: 7:56

And I think that's sometimes where if we don't take those, if we don't take time to to secure or or cure this overwhelm, that's what it's gonna feel like going from year to year.

Jana Shelfer: 8:09

And I feel like not only overwhelm, but there's rest recharging, recovering, recuperating, counting the fact that you just finished a marathon. Sometimes that's not only physically, but it's mentally, spiritually, emotionally. It's all of these things together. Everything depends on everything else, right?

Jason Shelfer: 8:28

Yes, and also pacing ourselves. And with all this noise that's going on, that noise becomes overwhelming. And that's how they use it, they use noise and sleep deprivation and and all that to stuff and interrogation. Interrogation techniques. You're right, because it it wears you down emotionally, psychologically, spiritually.

Jana Shelfer: 8:49

And that's kind of sometimes what life can feel like if you don't aren't aware.

Jason Shelfer: 8:56

If you're not aware and you say, Am I experiencing some type of whalm or overwhelm, underwhelm? And and how do I how do I get back to me?

Jana Shelfer: 9:05

Okay, so I am going to take a little tidbit we learned from Dave, who was at our Toastmasters meeting. And Dave said, one way that he deals with this whelm, I'm just gonna call it whelm because it's not over, it's not under. That's what we're perceiving it to be.

Jason Shelfer: 9:24

So it's a story we tell ourselves. Yep.

Jana Shelfer: 9:27

He says that he chunks down his goals into micro, micro bits, is paraphrasing what he said.

Jason Shelfer: 9:37

Yeah, it's what you know you can win. So it's basically saying, you know what, it's not gonna be a a 26-mile marathon, it's gonna be a walk around the block.

Jana Shelfer: 9:47

And I can do it.

Jason Shelfer: 9:48

Because I know I can do that. And if I did that enough times, like as I continue to add on to that, I will be at the marathon and I won't be tired.

Jana Shelfer: 9:57

If I walk around the block once this week, and then next week, I'll walk around twice a day, and then the third week I'll rock walk around, I'll rock around. I'll rock around, rock around. I just sounded like like tweety. I thought I thought I'd put it that and then just gradually work up your tolerance, and eventually you will get there.

Jason Shelfer: 10:23

And I also think it's it's your tolerance, it's it's it's becoming who who you are to have whatever it is you want. And it's also creating that idea that you're a winner. Instead of you're you're you're a victim of the noise, a victim of uh of everything else that's happening around you. You get to start saying, No, I'm the person that gets up and does whatever it is I want to do.

Jana Shelfer: 10:48

So again, what I hear you're saying is quiet the noise. And I do that by meditating. Uh I know you do it by writing a lot of times. Sometimes my art, my puzzles, I'm you know, I find ways to get in the flow of things and it quiets my mind. And when I do that, I hear this deep, deep voice. Now you have to be careful because sometimes that voice can be full of the fear, the doubt, the uncertainty.

Jason Shelfer: 11:20

You're not enough, you're not gonna be able to catch it. The well not getting it done.

Jana Shelfer: 11:23

We'll just call that whelm. However, underneath that, if you can filter through that, there is a silent, still, quiet voice. And it usually speaks in one word, maybe two words, very, very short sentences.

Jason Shelfer: 11:41

And it speaks with kindness, love, and power.

Jana Shelfer: 11:44

Yes.

Jason Shelfer: 11:45

That's that's the voice. So if you imagine this um, this inner voice that if we sometimes hear that neg all those negative things, yes, that that might be motivators for some people. You might be and you might be telling yourself it's a motivator, but also think of it could there be a different voice on the other side of that voice that's saying, No, you're a champion. No, like you're you're you can do anything. Like you've got you are powerful, you're made for greatness and a purpose. And is that something? So is that is the voice your best friend that's encouraging you, or is that voice coming at you so as is a voice that you may have made up at some point in time that says, You're not enough, you're not keeping up, you're not, you're not winning. Oh, look at all the things you didn't do.

Jana Shelfer: 12:31

Let's not do that.

Jason Shelfer: 12:33

Right. So it's it's it's being, I think a lot of times we just need to be aware of the voice and say, is this the real inner voice?

Jana Shelfer: 12:41

Sometimes I think I've got a voice in there that does that purposely because it knows I'll I'll get angry and get off the couch.

Jason Shelfer: 12:48

Yeah, in a meeting I was at last night, um, someone says Jana does huge things on huge stages.

Jana Shelfer: 12:54

Really?

Jason Shelfer: 12:55

Yeah. And I was like, I was like, you know, the bigger the stage, the bigger Jana gets. And it's it's one of those things that I never took the time to think about.

Jana Shelfer: 13:05

No.

Jason Shelfer: 13:06

But the bigger your audience or the bigger, the bigger platform that you get into, I see you almost like um get bigger than life.

Jana Shelfer: 13:17

Oh my gosh.

Jason Shelfer: 13:18

Which is I I love watching it.

Jana Shelfer: 13:20

Oh, I again I just had an aha moment. I'm gonna be the one that downloads this podcast 50 times. That's what's gonna happen here. Thank you for joining us.

Jason Shelfer: 13:30

Calm the overwhelm and keep Living Lucky®.

Jana Shelfer: 13:33

Were you a little overwhelmed? It's just well. Thanks for joining us. Bye-bye. If the idea of Living Lucky® appeals to you, visit us at LivingLucky.com