Reducing Cognitive Speed: A Guide
Mindset Coach Promotes Slowing Down to Combat Overwhelm
8th March 2020
Gabrielle Treanor, a mindset and empowerment coach, emphasizes the importance of slowing down the mind to live a happier life. Based in the picturesque Brecon Beacons in Wales, she helps introverted women manage their thoughts and feelings to overcome overwhelm.
As a host of the Pressing Pause podcast and a freelance writer contributing to various publications like The Simple Things, Breathe, and In the Moment, Treanor's work is focused on empowering women to find calm, confidence, and ultimately happiness.
We delved into the connection between a slowed mind and a slower pace of life and asked Treanor to discuss the challenges of overcoming overwhelm and the strategies for starting to tame busy minds.
Introduction
Gabrielle Treanor is a mindset and empowerment coach who supports introverted women to combat overwhelm and foster a happier life. A resident of the beautiful Brecon Beacons in south Wales, she is the host of the Pressing Pause podcast, a freelance writer, and a member of the online community The Calm Mind Club.
Origins and Journey
Treanor's own struggles with overthinking led her to positive psychology, which sparked the transformation in her life. The insights she gained through her exploration of mindset, mindfulness, gratitude, self-compassion, meditation, and more helped her move towards feeling calmer, less stressed, more confident, and ultimately happier.
She found that happiness is not a destination but an attainable state on a daily basis, despite life's imperfections. Realizing that many other women would benefit from the knowledge and skills she acquired, Treanor embarked on a mission to help others forge their own paths to happiness.
Slowing Down – Mind and Life
When asked whether slowing down her mind preceded a slower pace in her life or the other way around, Treanor mused that they had influenced each other. Gaining an understanding of how her mind functions and what stimulates her energy has led her to make adjustments to her lifestyle that align with her introverted personality type.
Causes of Overwhelm and Overthinking
Treanor attributes many people's struggles with overwhelm to societal pressures that come from a desire to please others, constant connectivity, and the expectation to always be available. These factors create pressure, expectation, and comparison, leading to feelings of inadequacy and a sense that one is not doing enough.
Benefits of Reducing Overthinking
The benefits of reducing overthinking are multifaceted, with happiness being the primary advantage. By bringing down the overthinking and overdoing, the overwhelm subsides, allowing individuals to live more fully and appreciate the good aspects of their lives.
Treanor highlights that reducing overthinking and overdoing positively influences others around us as well. Instead of presenting a stressed version of ourselves to loved ones and colleagues, we are able to show our true, positive selves. Additionally, positive actions and behavior have a ripple effect on others, according to research, with the potential to positively influence those three people removed from us.
Managing Overthinking in Daily Life
Treanor offers practical habits and rituals to help manage overthinking and reduce overwhelm. These include writing three things you're grateful for each day, practicing just five minutes of meditation daily, and establishing accountability to ensure new habits are sustained.
Advice for Overwhelmed Individuals
For those currently grappling with overwhelm, Treanor encourages empathy and grace, reminding them that they are not alone and that it is acceptable to find life challenging. Rather than berating themselves, they should imagine offering the same words of encouragement and suggestions for help to a trusted friend. Taking small, practical steps can make a significant difference in overcoming overwhelm.
SLOW LIVING QUESTIONS
Treanor also shared her preferences for her favorite places to read a book, her favorite coffee or tea shop, favorite independent shop or maker, and self-care rituals, as well as providing her slow living tip and a breathing exercise for managing stress. The complete set of her answers can be found in the SLOW FIRE QUESTIONS section below.
The information about Gabrielle Treanor's personal preferences and reading list has been provided for context and interest. The core focus remains on her work as a mindset coach helping introverted women combat overwhelm and find happiness.
- Gabrielle Treanor, a powerful advocate for slow living, believes that mindfulness plays a significant role in achieving a calmer, happier life.
- Small businesses that promote mindfulness, such as indie bookstores like The Hours Bookshop and Café, align with Treanor's slow living philosophy.
- In a lifestyle filled with fashion and beauty trends, Treanor encourages making time for self-care rituals like meditation, even if it's just five minutes a day.
- The methodology of slow living also extends to the food and drink industry, with an emphasis on enjoying quality, locally sourced goods in a mindful way.
- As education-and-self-development and personal-growth initiatives become more integral to people's lives, Treanor's work empowering women to live slower, more focused lives gains significance in fostering healthy relationships and meaningful travel experiences.
