OverFlow: Just Do It—What's the Worst That Can Happen?
How many things do you want to do, but you don't? What is it that's stopping you from allowing something you like be a part of your life?
OverFlow is what happens when I overthink, overflow, and over-everything. When my feelings have nowhere to go, I write about them.
If there’s anything I’m good at, it’s starting something. I started this Substack after beginning a new life here in Vegas. I started sending letters again after getting sick in early 2021 and brought back this Substack from the dead this year. You get the point. Starting something is easy—learning how to do it better and maintaining the habit is hard. However, those complications can’t deny the reality that the worst that can happen is that you never do something you want, and you never grow to include it in your life. Stagnancy is the worst.
Starting Something
Honestly, this truly is something you can do with ease. But, I sometimes find that I need to taunt myself a bit to take me over the edge: “Why not? You have the time and energy, and you know what to do. Name one thing you can do right now that would benefit you more. If not now, then when? You can try it once; if you’re not good at it, you can stop. Are you scared of being a failure?”
This worked on me when I started taking care of my physical health, began to accept that I’m a witch, and started writing poetry. It worked on me when I started cooking more and participating in small talk. But really, it all goes back to doing something because you want to do it. That’s loving yourself enough to listen and learn. That’s exploring who you are deep inside—not just through your work and meaningful relationships. That’s all you.
Think of starting something new as an act of self-love because it is—whether you’re changing careers or trying out a weird hobby.
Learning How to Do It Better
Sometimes, the first go at something can be complicated. You’re not used to it yet, so you may make mistakes, forget some things, and not be as good as you’d like. So what?
The first time I tried making spiced pork buns, I forgot to add the beaten egg to the dough and didn’t remember until I had already let it rest and was shaping it into separate balls. The first time I made adobo on my own, I used lemon and butter for some reason. But now, those two recipes are some of my most practiced and changed ones—and my husband likes them.
I think my secret to this step is actually my husband. He always tells me that trying to do something is enough of an accomplishment. And while I’m very sensitive about criticism, he’ll let me know if something I cook lacks flavor or if something I do is incorrect. He takes that leap of faith that I’ll appreciate him trying to help instead of getting hurt and retreating. And that’s it, really—trying to help me improve at something works! Because that’s really what I want, anyway. Of course, I want to get better at doing something I love and enjoy doing. Who wouldn’t want to get better at self-love?
Maintaining the Habit
I often get tired at the thought of maintaining these habits I’ve developed. They help me better understand and love myself, but it’s a lot. I do my skincare routines and take my medications in the morning and nighttime. I walk every single morning. I take my blood pressure, walk Loaf, and load the dishwasher daily. I make time to cook and bake. I write letters, break down boxes, and take out the trash weekly. I go to the doctor monthly, go to the dentist, and deep clean my home every few months. Sounds like a lot, right?
Not really! I’ve found that habits you love and show that you love yourself don’t or shouldn’t stress you out. It’s like magic—you find yourself accomplishing them even though you’d swear there wasn’t enough time. It’s not the habit that’s the problem at this step—it’s everything else in your life. I stopped walking when it got cold out. I stopped writing letters when work started to get busy. I stopped cooking when I found out about my diabetes diagnosis.
Getting Back on the Wagon
The key is not to beat yourself up about stopping. Who’s keeping score, anyway? Just because you stopped doing something doesn’t mean you don’t like it or it doesn’t serve you anymore. Again, this is about self-love. You wouldn’t tell someone you love not to do something anymore just because they haven’t done it in a long time. Right?
So go ahead, fall in love with an old flame again. Dust off that book on your nightstand. Bring out those crochet hooks and yarn. Start carrying a notebook around to jot down your thoughts. Whatever you want to start, you’re already on the path. Just the idea in your head is the beginning. All you have to do is act on it. What’s the worst that could happen?
Photo by Randy Tarampi on Unsplash
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