One Little Step at a Time

It would be hard to deny that we’re active thinkers. Our minds can race around on overdrive exhausting all possibilities, exacerbating many a problem and evoking anxiety from just about anywhere. It has a pretty hectic schedule; but this isn’t necessarily a bad feature, because, while it could have its sights set on the above, it could also be on overdrive dreaming, creating or affirming positivity.  

Like everything in life - it’s what we make of it.

I hadn’t realised the power of my mind until I started working on myself. I knew it could memorise things and figure stuff out, you know everyday normal stuff. But I hadn’t given it credit for the impact it had on my feelings and behaviours. Actually not just really impact so much as absolute creation of them.

It wasn’t medication or some magic operation on my mind that changed my self destruction, panic attacks or behaviours. It was changing my thinking.

This came into my mind yesterday because I had a decision to make. I know from past experience that given half a chance, my mind can easily inform me of every excuse under the sun to avoid something. It can take the original option that I had initially wanted and turn that into the least desirable thing I could think of. I also know that it works both ways so I can take control and make the choices I know I truly want, even if I might be hesitant.

So yesterday I became very aware of the fact that my tiredness gave way to the thoughts that were opting to just leave it, to go home and put it off to another time. And I knew that if I played that particular tape out – I would wish that I had of just done it.

I knew I wanted to go, though with a bit of fear in my head, it made it more easy to sway me towards the comforts of home and essentially giving in to that nervousness. And that result didn’t really fly with me so I took action and broke it down.

Instead of magnifying the reasons why not to go and how it’s a big deal that I can’t handle right now, I made it into baby steps.

I’m just going to get my snack now so I’ll have had it before the class in case I go...

I’ll just get my Luas ticket so that if I decide to go, I’ll be ready.

I’ll just see when the next Luas is… I’ll just wait for it… I’ll just go and see if I can find the place..

I’ll just go and have a look inside.

I’ll just get changed so I’m ready..

And finally Ok I’ll just do it. And after that, I'm so glad I did it :-) 

It might seem a bit ridiculous from the outset, but for me in the past and even evidently now, I find it can be helpful to just take things one at a time, relieve the pressure and give myself a chance. It's also harder to dispute the little things because on their own they appear to make little impact but when added together they can culminate into something really enjoyable and energising.