🔮 You remind me of the babe. What babe? The babe with the power. 🏰
🍵🐛 How I’m navigating the labyrinth of overwhelm
Paper Crane Feelings #13
Scene from Labyrinth (1986).
Dear Friend,
I’m feeling massively overwhelmed and kind of needed a break from The Wicker Man… so I decided to write a journal post about overwhelm and Labyrinth. I’m sharing that below and will try to cut the rest of the newsletter short not only to honor your time but also to get back to working on the Wicker Man painting. Hopefully I will have made it to a new section of the labyrinth by the next newsletter 🧡
(I threw together an audio version of the newsletter [via unlisted YouTube video] this morning because I’ve talked to a few people who prefer listening over reading. It’s a bit cheesy and messy but if you would like more audio versions, please let me know how you think I could improve it. Thank you!)
I am feeling so incredibly overwhelmed right now.
Of course, this feeling is an illusion. It’s me perceiving things as overwhelming. But knowing that doesn’t make it any less stressful.
I have always been a person who is easily overwhelmed. Every time it seems like things are manageable (ahh… my first mistake), a random little task or problem pops up (because… that’s life) and sends me hurtling into the chaos of THIS IS TOO MUCH. Lather, rinse, repeat.
It’s not just that feeling overwhelmed is unpleasant. It has consequences. Simple tasks seem more complex and start piling up. I’ve missed important letters or emails. I get even worse than normal at responding to messages and start ghosting people left and right. All of these lead to more problems and more work piling up, which leads to, you guessed it, more overwhelm.
I needed some direction this week. Some might turn to their bible or deck of tarot cards in this situation. I pressed play on my trusty guidebook, the 1986 film Labyrinth.
Watching Labyrinth is a sacred experience for me. I come to it looking for wisdom or insight, and it always provides an answer. I do this with most movies (looking for even the tiniest relatable bit to find a lesson) but Labyrinth is most reliable when I’m searching for something specific.
With the theme of overwhelm in mind, I once again watched Jennifer Connelly’s Sarah whine about unfairness, David Bowie’s Jareth prance around menacingly in ridiculously tight pants and a codpiece, and a variety of incredible puppet characters (designed through a collaboration between Brian Froud and Jim Henson) either helping or hindering Sarah’s journey.
I found that the whole film can be viewed as an allegory for overwhelm, because it portrays Sarah’s journey from childhood to adulthood… and what’s more overwhelming than adulting?
As the film begins we are introduced to Sarah, indignant at having to babysit her infant half-brother Toby. She wishes aloud that the goblins (from the book, The Labyrinth, that she had just been cosplaying in the park) would come and take him away. The Goblin King, Jareth, flies into the window, turns from an owl into David Bowie, and grants her wish, though she immediately takes back her request. He takes Toby anyway, giving Sarah thirteen hours to find her way to the castle at the center of the labyrinth to save him from being turned into a goblin.
Trying to avoid work that has to be done seems like a way to deal with overwhelm, but it is actually a surefire way to make more work for yourself. The plot of Labyrinth is a perfect example of that.
“Through dangers untold and hardships unnumbered,” Sarah faces a colorful cast of fantastical creatures during her journey through the labyrinth, as well as many challenging obstacles. However, like me whenever I start to feel I’ve conquered my overwhelm, Sarah repeatedly thinks she has things all figured out. And, of course, that’s when a new, more complicated challenge presents itself. Every time.
The scenario I find most relatable in relation to overwhelm is the Junk Lady, because I fear this may be me. As someone who has struggled with the overwhelming problem of clutter my whole life, finding the balance between collectibles and junk seems like one of my eternal conflicts. I have made improvements over the years, but it has been a struggle to let things go, especially nostalgic or sentimental items. The clutter in my home resembles the Junk Lady’s back, a visual depiction of the way overwhelm feels for me.
Scene from Labyrinth (1986).
One of my favorite teachings from the move ties together the very first line and the moment when Sara saves her little brother. At the beginning of the film, Sara is reciting a passage from The Labyrinth, but struggles to recall the final line, “You have no power over me.” Every time I hear this, it highlights not only that Sarah already knows exactly how to win, but she is also aware of her weakness. “I can never remember that line,” she mumbles, meaning the line that ultimately defeats the Goblin King. Solving the labyrinth and saving her little brother helps her believe that she really has that power, but it was knowledge and power that she had inside her all along.
This is a reminder that we most likely already hold the solution to our problems within ourselves. Of course, this doesn’t apply so much to larger systemic problems, but for personal issues, I think it’s a good reminder that our brains sometimes lie to us — and that we are more powerful than we think. We may already have the solution, sometimes it just takes a journey through the labyrinth to find it, and to find ourselves.
Watching Labyrinth didn’t exactly “cure” my feelings of overwhelm, but it did give me some ideas to help me acknowledge and reframe some of the issues.
For better or worse, overwhelm is part of a cycle for me.
The calm period before feeling overwhelmed is temporary - enjoy it while it lasts (and don’t get cocky)
This also means that you will feel overwhelmed again, but at least it is also temporary. Treat it like an obstacle in the labyrinth, something to solve, then move on to the next one.
Be careful what you wish for.
Avoiding your responsibilities will probably lead to a lot more work.
Well-meaning worms sometimes give terrible advice.
“Quite often… it seems like we’re not getting anywhere, when in fact we are.”
Be wary of distractions.
Don’t forget to ask for help.
Use your gifts. You have the tools, the knowledge, the power.
Also, it’s worth mentioning that many cultures have linked the process of navigating a labyrinth to a spiritual journey.
I suspect overwhelm manifests quite differently for everyone. Are there any similarities with how you experience it? Or some significant ways it is different for you? What are some approaches you use to deal with feeling overwhelmed?
Scene from Labyrinth (1986).
Current Projects
Snail Mail Club updates.
SPRING. I’ve been experimenting with different ways to color the spring image and it’s taking longer than expected. I am trying to work through the overwhelm and am painting the final version now. Thank you so much for your incredible patience.
WHAT IS DEAR CHIZUKO SNAIL MAIL CLUB? SMC members receive unique handmade cards four times per year that are inspired by the seasons. Additional items are included in every release such as stickers, bookmarks, and other surprises. If you aren’t already a member, you can sign up through Ko-fi HERE! Thank you, SMC members!
Website stuff.
You remind me of the babe. What babe? The babe with the power. The only update on the website is the separate journal post for the piece you just read. I tried something new and wrote most of it with pen and paper. Usually I try to save time by typing as I compose, but this worked really well and was possibly even faster. Not sure why. Can you tell I really love Labyrinth? It’s always been a favorite.
Also, it felt wonderful to start something and finish it by the next day. Hooray for completed projects!
Luna.
Luna is doing well. She is currently obsessed with our neighbor’s new kitten, which is giving us plenty of entertainment.
In conclusion.
I hope you enjoyed my lessons from Labyrinth! I had fun writing it at least. And I hope you are finding ways to take care of yourself and lighten the load. This labyrinth is TOUGH and full of some WILD obstacles. If you can find a friend who can call on rocks to vanquish your enemies, that would help a lot.
Sincerely,
💖 Becky H
💚 Dear Chizuko
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