This goes out to you. Yes, you. The doer and won't-rest-till-i-get-it-right kind of overachiever. You're the type of person who claims to have it all together despite the chaos that may abound. You're the one whose dedication and diligence are often praised as if these traits are ones that you have developed so effortlessly, but if only they knew what that has cost you, right? It's not that easy. Life isn't simple. In fact, you're well aware of this. You're logical, it's how you operate. Perhaps, this so-called awareness to the world around you is the cause of your perfectionist tendencies, high expectations, and undying curiosity. You're aware that survival requires sacrifice, but what about those moments when you fall short of what you had hoped for?
You begin to overthink and overthink some more— as if that could eliminate any and every one of life's problems. Ultimately, not only do you end up feeling much worse than how you started, but you're then left with a whole new set of "why's, how's and what if's" dangling in your head. Yeah, I know.
Coming from someone who has spent a decent amount of her existence overthinking and planning ahead (or correcting past mistakes for that matter), allow me to be the one to remind you to take it slow. Stop burning yourself out. God knows, being in the moment and taking life one step at a time isn't always the easiest task, but over time I have found that through the toughest of trials spring forth the richest of lessons and rewards. While you could have easily taken that internship abroad six months ago or moved to that studio up for rent downtown, perhaps the fear of change or plain hesitance deterred you from making either decision and that's okay. See, that is what makes life magnificent. Before you stand a limitless amount of choices, some that may break you and others that just might transform your life for the better. The moral of the story is that you don't have to wander about life like everyone else is. Your life story is unique, personal, and did I mention yours alone to live out? Quite frankly, as intriguing as the mere notion may seem, you're not batman; you're not out to save the world or eat it right up and that's absolutely fine. At times, you'll find that clarity is found in the journey rather than that ever so coveted destination, whichever or whatever it may be for you.
Remind yourself to slow down when need be. Disappear for a while if you must. Silence your phone, play that song on repeat and play it loudly. Lay back, close your eyes and look within yourself. Realize that life passes us by in a flash and that sometimes, delay doesn't necessarily mean denial. Remember that you're exactly where you're meant to be in this particular moment. With that being said, let's go off topic for a minute. If you know me well enough, you'll know that I hold Billy Joel's song "Vienna" close to my heart for numerous reasons, one of them being Billy's impeccable way with words. With lyrics like, "You can't be everything you want to be before your time," and "Where's the fire, what's the hurry about?" It kind of makes you wonder about the way that we often choose to go about life. The truth of the matter is that we all have our own idea of "Vienna" and what we think or expect it to be like. We all have our dreams, goals and aspirations, but never let something as trivial as overthinking rid you the opportunity of reaching Vienna.
Perhaps, if you look closely, you'll come to find that Vienna, bliss or serenity aren't to be sought after, but are rather each a state of mind that can often change the course of your entire existence. Maybe, just maybe, Vienna has been the fire lying dormant within you all along, patiently waiting at your beck and call. Be patient with yourself, as time does take its sweet time, but never give up. More importantly, don't burn yourself out in the process. Dear overthinker, if you haven't heard this recently, I want you to know that I'm proud of you for rolling with the punches, as I too know how tedious the demands and struggles of life can be. Chin up, fighter, you'll get there in time.
