Image via Delightfully Tacky
“
What is keeping you from achieving your dreams right now?” What a question and as I mull it over, I feel an outpouring in my head. Reasons clutter and crowd, each vying to be heard and spilled out, and my heart begins to sink a bit under the weight of so much noise bagging about inside, of the sheer cacophony of it all. The thing is, the bulk of it is just that – noise. I’m an over-thinker and my mind has a tendency to over-complicate just about everything if I allow it to and then I get overwhelmed. Seriously, paralyzingly overwhelmed.
That is the one major thing that keeps me from achieving my dreams and goals right now. I let myself become overwhelmed and I prevent myself from even trying because I allow myself to believe it’s too much. I create a million outcomes for each action I think about taking, a million hurtles, and I spazz-out with how overwhelming it all seems to be. Even the idea of great, grand, glorious outcomes overwhelm me and cause me to stall and even panic. I can be as overwhelmed by the mere thought of success as I am of failure and so I become paralyzed, seemingly vanquished before I even take the first step.
Looking back, I can see many times when I let that overwhelming sense stop me from doing things. Times when I over-thought and panicked. When I just stayed with what was comfortable, even if it wasn’t what I wanted or even liked but at least I knew it, and made due. Times when a push would’ve made all the difference, but it didn’t happen and I stayed still.
I am now well aware of this particular foible of mine and I have been discovering ways to persuade my mind to let go of the over-thinking and just get on with it. Happily, I have a support system that will provide an extra push when needed (and kick my butt into gear if I start over-thinking). I try to push myself and I don’t allow myself to think until after and even then, I do my best to not second-guess since what’s done is done. I create mantras to repeat when my mind starts to rev into over-time – things like “it’s okay.” “Trying is a great thing.” “Failure just means trying again.” “Just breathe.” and so on. I meditate and most importantly, I keep going.
I have truly come to a place in my life where I don’t want to let that overwhelming feeling prevent me from reaching out and achieving my dreams. I don’t want a life that is complacent but lacking in what my heart and soul yearn for. I want my life and I want to live it and achieve it and I don’t want to be stopped by what-ifs and imaginary reasons to freak out about. I’ll never stop over-thinking, or getting overwhelmed but I can stop it from keeping me from what I want. At least, I think I can…tee-hee!
Namaste ~ Ella
This post is part of the Delightfully Tacky “What’s keeping you from achieving your dreams // share your story” link-up. Please go and visit to find inspiration and others stories!
Like this:
Like Loading...
Related
Published by lawhimsy
I'm a whimsical, sparkly, glitter in my veins, intellectual badass, artistically bohemian soul that loves to laugh, take delight in everyday elegances and then share all about them!
View all posts by lawhimsy
Looking back, I can see many times when I let that overwhelming sense stop me from doing things. Times when I over-thought and panicked. When I just stayed with what was comfortable, even if it wasn’t what I wanted or even liked but at least I knew it, and made due. Times when a push would’ve made all the difference, but it didn’t happen and I stayed still.
Lawhimsy 
I can totally relate to that. I feel those same overwhelmed feelings because I over-analyze everything until I just don’t want anything to do with it anymore because I’m so exhausted from thinking about it! I appreciate your push-through-it attitude!
Thanks Hailey, though I will be the very fist to admit that sometimes the push-through-it attitude can be easier said then actually done. It’s worth mustering up the courage and just doing it in the end – something I am constantly reminding myself of, hehe!
I do this too! Sometimes it’s the fear of failure and sometimes it’s the fear of accomplishment it’s self!! I made a new years resolution to go with my first thought for the whole year, and not to think about things too much – but it is hard 😦 xxx
Going with your first thought, or even your gut response to anything, can be so difficult sometimes, especially for a mind prone to overthinking! I have found that by consciously doing it, though, does make it a bit easier over time – sort of like brain-training! 🙂