A theme that has been presenting in my life recently is the idea of not overthinking and doing what needs to be done, no matter what. The conflicts in my life seem to stem from me overthinking something and not speaking up. I’ve been feeling so unmotivated to do anything that I haven’t been doing anything that wasn’t absolutely necessary, and that was eating me up. It felt like the same day over and over. Something had to change.
I have recently been following Mel Robbins and learning about her 5-second rule. Have you heard of it? The concept is quite simple: When there is something you want to do, you count down from 5, and then go do it.
Sounds simple, right? But let me tell you, it is not that easy.
It does take conscious effort to implement, but in the past week that I have, I have done more things and have felt better doing them. I’m starting to realize just how much I overthink things and how much I *need* to be validated by others. (I put wrote *need* because I actually don’t NEED it, but my brain thinks I do.) Again, something had to change.
I needed to trust myself more and stop overthinking. I don’t say the things I want to because I’m afraid I’ll say it wrong or it won’t be received well by the other person. After a ton of reflection (like years), I now know and believe that I do everything with the best intentions, and still, sometimes, they won’t land well. And that is the learning opportunity. I know that I am a kind, open-minded, loving person.
I also know that my own fears and insecurities get in the way of that sometimes. Both are true statements. I can’t control how someone will react to what I say. I don't need to overthink things as long as I’m operating from a kind and loving place.
Being human is a messy experience and we cannot control a lot of things in our world. So stop overthinking it. If something doesn’t land well, apologize for how it made others feel and learn from it. It doesn’t mean you’re a bad (or whatever adjective applies) person. I saw this “formula” the other day and want to share it here:
Success = your dreams + your fear + doing it anyway
Success comes from consistently making the next best decision to move you toward your goal(s), no matter your feelings. It’s the “doing it anyway” or Nike’s famous tagline “Just Do It.” Very simple concept, but extremely hard to do. Success happens when you continually show up with the next best decision, even when you feel scared, anxious, not motivated, etc. It’s the 5-second Rule by Mel Robbins.
So the next time you feel stuck or you find yourself caught in an overthinking loop, try this. Notice what it is that you want to do. Decide what the next best decision is. Take a deep breath in and use the 5-second rule. After that big breath in, count down 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, and then go do that thing (as you give a big, deep exhale). Quit overthinking and make your dream life a reality.
I have a free 2-week journaling guide you can download from my shop if you are interested in starting your journaling practice. Journaling can help you become aware of thoughts, patterns, and themes you are focusing on. This is the first step in knowing what you want to change. If you are ready to dig deep, I have a 30-day ‘Spring-Cleaning’ downloadable Journal in my shop for purchase to help you declutter your life and start moving toward the life of your dreams. Each prompt will ask you to reflect on an area of your life and come up with actionable steps to work toward your dream life. Use the space I provide in my journal or whatever you already have/like.
If you would like more information on anything I spoke about here, leave me feedback either here – below this post, e-mail me (thewheellifeblog@gmail.com), or on any of my social media platforms! (IG/TW/TT @megs_hammond). If there is ANYTHING that you want to hear about – please let me know! I can’t do this without YOU, so I would love to connect!
Let’s keep those happy thoughts, productivity, and self-care going! Until next time, live honestly, passionately, and with kindness! Take care!
