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I didn't know what to do
Plus, how to tackle overwhelm and a harsh perspective on how to improve your life
Greg
October 25, 2024
Welcome to Curious G — a weekly email about personal growth and lifestyle design.
Let’s get curious 👇
What I’m Thinking: When in doubt, do
What I’m Reading: 6 harsh truths you may need to hear
Today’s Takeaways:
When in doubt, do — whenever you’re faced with a challenge, whether you feel stuck, overwhelmed, incapable, etc. Ask yourself, “What is one small action I can take to improve this situation?” It may help to start with a brain dump to get all of the objective facts out in front of you. Or perhaps there is one thing you know you have to do, but continue to avoid… the only way out is through.
Being your own rock when times get tough is an invaluable skill. Build habits so they are there when you need them. Here are some of my go-to’s:
Exercise — Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and walks
Affirmations — I try to assure myself that I am capable of handling anything that comes my way and that I have a lot to be grateful for.
Mindfulness — journaling, breath work, reading, and meditation
Some other options for you to consider:
Cold exposure
Yoga and other forms of exercise
Creative hobbies like drawing and painting
I’d love to hear some of your go-to’s if you’re willing to share. Just hit reply and let me know! 🤗
What I’m Thinking
I’ve been feeling scattered this week.
This feeling is a result of too many things going on — I took on a new project this week (travel planning), my fiancee and I spent the last two weekends driving all over the Hudson Valley looking at properties, and there have been a few other personal and professional developments.
All of this while I try to continue showing up as best I can for myself, my relationships, and my prior commitments (Curious G, wedding planning, my 9-5, etc).
It has all left me feeling overwhelmed, which can very easily kick off a self-sabotage spiral…
With no clear path ahead, my mind gets to work creating one.
The problem is, the brain is terrible at this task in isolation. It usually leads me down a road of fear-mongering hypotheticals that cripple my confidence…
That’s the last thing I need when life feels chaotic!
Fortunately, this experience has resurfaced an important principle that I have learned over the last 4 years:
When in doubt, do.
My mind can’t solve this problem because thinking alone doesn’t get me anywhere. Action is the only thing that moves the needle.
Action can take many forms — anything from a brain dump to a meaningful step forward on a project.
Here’s an example:
I had my biweekly call with my life coach on Tuesday. After sharing these feelings with him, he proposed an exercise:
Write down everything on my mind: every to-do list item and priority I can think of.
I wrote down everything from household chores to my Curious G work.
After looking at the list, I noticed two things:
It doesn’t look all that bad now that I can see it. It’s tangible.
I’m already taking most of the necessary steps to move forward.
It enabled me to feel more confident in my ability to handle what is in front of me.
Now I can go about the work of prioritizing my to-do list and moving toward my goals and deliverables.
But this exercise wasn’t a cure-all.
Some of the tasks I’ve taken on are brand new, which is challenging because it requires a blind belief in myself in an area where I have not already demonstrated success.
Sometimes taking action can backfire. My inexperience leads me to believe the move I made was the wrong one. Or in some cases, I just truly don’t know where to start.
This is where the second piece comes in: staying present.
Overthinking and overwhelm are often caused by manufactured fears of the future or reflections of the past — getting away from life as it is today.
Action and presence go hand in hand. Doing gets me out of my head and into the moment.
Here are some strategies that I employ to keep myself grounded in the present moment:
Exercise — Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and walks are my go to
Affirmations — I try to assure myself that I am capable of handling anything that comes my way. Plus, I have a lot to be grateful for.
Mindfulness — journaling, breath work, reading and meditation are my go to’s here.
Connecting with others — talking to trusted mentors and loved ones always helps bring things into perspective
I’ll even experiment with some new ones too. I tried doing 5 minutes of humming on Wednesday… desperate times call for desperate measures 😂 (although there is some interesting research on this)
I wrote this Wednesday afternoon. After a good training session, reconnecting with my fiancée, and getting some work done today, I’m feeling much more encouraged.
The point is, when I’m feeling overwhelmed, the best thing I can do for myself is take one step forward. The only way out is through.
“In the realms of uncertainty, action precedes clarity”
What I’m Reading
“Don't get me wrong; who you are inside is everything -- the guy who built a house for his family from scratch did it because of who he was inside. Every bad thing you've ever done has started with a bad impulse, some thought ricocheting around inside your skull until you had to act on it. And every good thing you've done is the same -- "who you are inside" is the metaphorical dirt from which your fruit grows. But here's what everyone needs to know, and what many of you can't accept:
"You" are nothing but the fruit.”
This hard-hitting piece is a bit crass and aggressive, but if you can stomach the language, the message is important:
All that matters is what you do.
Many of us might not agree with certain ways in which society operates, but we have to play the hand we’re dealt… key word being “play,” because if we want to improve our situation, we have to act. If you need a swift kick in the ass today, this article is for you.
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