I HEARD THIS MESSAGE IN THE DIALOGUE OF A SHOW and wanted to share it with you:
‘You think too much! You think too much about everything! I just want to make sure you don’t miss out on all the things in life that happen when you’re NOT thinking. Because, believe me – those are the best things in life.’
~Nick’s dad to Nick, in New Girl, S2, Ep 23 – likely paraphrased a little
In perhaps the unlikeliest of flashback scenes I found sort of a modern-day proverb.
We spend much of our time thinking, deliberating, wondering, questioning – maybe even judging and coming to conclusions about experiences, situations, or even people – and perhaps less time actually doing the things that create great memories.
I know I’ve done this.
What am I saying – I know I DO this (present tense).
I’m a card-carrying overthinker.
I regularly give myself conscious intentional reminders to get moving and take action instead of staying mired in rumination or contemplation – and it’s so much better when I do.
Does that mean I’m saying all introverts need to get out and be committing ourselves to activities and events during all our free time in order to ‘take action’?
No.
Does this mean we need to stop thinking, throw caution to the wind – and just do things carelessly?
Also – no.
I’m just suggesting we give our heads a shake once in awhile, when we’re in the Contemplation Cellar, or the Dwelling Darkside, or stuck in the Should-I-or-Shouldn’t-I-quickSand (ok that last one wasn’t exactly alliteration but I did my best ).
Often we need to nudge ourselves a little to just make a decision one way or the other so we can move forward in a direction, trusting it will work out…
– or –
…maybe we can’t make the decision yet because we’re waiting for more details – if so, park the issue and move on to something else for a little while.
Go do the laundry, do some dishes, tidy a small space, go outside for a walk – just move and refocus.
Those tasks might not be the things we think will bring us the great memories that the quote at the top was referring to, but – remember:
That time [you did that normal everyday thing and] that hilarious or amazing experience occurred?
You probably didn’t set out thinking – THIS experience is going to be awesome. It was just a regular experience made extraordinary by something you stumbled across or the way things unfolded – quite unexpectedly.
Also, it’s unlikely that the great memory you treasure occurred when you spent all day dwelling on that issue … am I right?
How can you take action today and get out of your head?
Wishing you a great week ahead.