ESSAYS | Stop Overthinking

Stop Overthinking and Just Do: Tallie’s lessons on just doing.

I have been known to overthink a few things in my life. Sometimes it results is simply not doing anything because thinking about it is easier and less risky. Whether it be running consistently or eating well or making art or starting a business – if I have learned one thing this year it’s that I have to stop overthinking and just DO.

If you have been following along on this little journey of mine you know that I have three very important folks in my life: my husband, my cat and my dog. I like to think of each of them in terms of life lessons. More than anything John has taught me to see myself more clearly. I like to think that I am a generous, loving, compassionate human. All of the time. But being married has shown me that that is just not true. I can be mean or bitchy. I often think I am right and that I have all of the answers. I am inconsistent about many things and it drives me crazy. He is the best mirror I have ever had. It’s brutally honest and it helps me actually see the person that I am and not the person I think I am. Then I have the power to change those yucky things if I get down to it. John – he’s my mirror (among many other things!) 

Tigger, our adorable little orange tabby cat, is as loyal as a cat can be but is a cat afterall. He’s taught me how to relax and take a load off and he reminds me that life is often more simple than I think: eat, sleep, play, and do it all again in the morning. This is wonderful but it also doesn’t push me outside of my comfort zone very often. It helps me stay in this place that I think I naturally gravitate towards. I’m pretty sure I was a cat in my past life. (Is that weird?) Tigger – he’s my voice saying, “You don’t have to…” (Sometimes it IS good to listen to that voice but not always.)

Tallie, the newest addition, as of a year ago May, is our lab-hound rescue. I loved her at first in that she’s-so-damn-tiny-what’s-not-to-love kind of way but we soon learned that life together would be rough. She woke me up at crazy hours of the night. All she wanted was to chew on my hands, all the time. Toys, no. Ropes, no. Furniture, no. Molding (like all other puppies in the world), no. Human hands, YES. We had a love/hate relationship. Months after getting her a bond formed that I didn’t know could exist. Tallie required much more from me than Tigger ever did. She needed daily walks and she needed training and she needed consistency. When I didn’t want to walk her I didn’t have a choice. We took her out to our favorite preserve as soon as we got her and we returned there everyday in some capacity – sometimes for a quick walk, sometimes for a long hike. And slowly I realized that just doing it (anything really) without thinking about it has its place and even more powerful to do it everyday. I got to see the preserve through every bit of weather – freezing cold, pouring rain, hot and humid – everything. I slowly began to love it even when I didn’t think I would. I am always happier and more satisfied when I finish a walk. I never think, “I shouldn’t have come today.”  So Tallie, she’s my little voice saying, “Just do.” 

Each of these has a really wonderful spot in my heart but it has been the real acceptance of stop overthinking and just doing that has changed my life in the past year. I am more consistent in my efforts in just about everything. With this new mindset I am a better runner, a better dog-mom, a better teacher, a better wife, a better yoga student and of course, a better artist. That line of thinking is why this little online shop even exists and for that I couldn’t be more grateful. 

As I go into the final month of my summer vacation I feel an overwhelming satisfaction for all of the moments that I have not overthought something this summer :: going to yoga (which I contemplated not doing this morning before remembering this important lesson), walking Tallie, writing blog posts, talking to stores about selling my cards, making more art, and of course just sitting still to enjoy life. (Tigger’s philosophy is important too. Just know when to do it and do it! Don’t beat yourself up about taking a break!)

Stop overthinking and do.

xoxo
Sarah