How Do You Stop Tripping Over Self-Made Obstacles?
Tripping over your own two feet along a given path is usually an inside job — and under your control.
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I love to overthink.
When it comes to just about anything you can imagine I’m super good at overthinking things.
Thoughts, ideas, concepts, notions — I churn through them lots and lots. I tend to run through a multitude of scenarios and “what ifs” at the speed of the Millennium Falcon making the Kessel Run.
Often, this all happens right at the start. I see the issue or idea, then approach it from multiple angles, consider possibilities and probabilities. Then I guess at outcomes and start plans and plots — all in the span of a few heartbeats.
This, unsurprisingly, causes tripping over myself due to unseen obstacles wholly of my making.
Are you familiar with the saying that it’s difficult to walk and chew gum at the same time? That’s what this is akin to. Walking (literally or figuratively) and deep thinking at the same time can be complicated.
Why? Because thoughts lead to feelings — whether you acknowledge them or not. Thoughts get you in touch with your inner being — your mindset/headspace/psyche. But sometimes your inner being isn’t fully conscious and is relying on subconscious and unconscious beliefs and habits to drive the bus.
When you are, on the one hand, trying to take control — while on the other hand, ceding control — it’s easy to start tripping over things.
This can be impacted by outside influences, inside influence, and whether you’re being mindful or not.
Outside influences and thinking
Things are happening in the world right now that are super distressing.
Let’s see — COVID-19 and people reacting selfishly and idiotically towards dealing with it. Politicians potentially wiping their asses with the US Constitution because their side lost the Presidential election. Parents at their wits end over schooling during the pandemic. And all the uncertainty that these things are producing is maddening.
