Overthinking, Avoidance, and Regret
These have been three of the most heinous poisons in my own life.
And it took an unprecedented national tragedy for me to start getting past them.
In the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, the Department of Homeland Security launched a public service campaign called “If You See Something, Say Something.”
I first noticed while riding the New York City Subway every day back then.
Blue posters encouraged commuters like myself to be on the lookout for suspicious packages, people, or activities (“see something”) and take the time to report these concerns (“say something”).
The concept is simple: enlist the public itself in monitoring public safety in hopes of heading off future attacks.
But a funny thing happened for me.
I started to make “If you see something, say something” a bit of a mantra for my personal life. And it continues to this day.
If I see something beautiful — like a swath of crisp blue morning sky through a green canopy of oak trees — I will say something about this marvel.
If I see someone accomplishing something — like facing a fear or achieving a goal — I will say something congratulatory.
If I see someone being especially hard on himself or herself — focusing on a limited or outdated self-image — I will say something supportive.
I have found that this simple application of “If you see something, say something” has added tremendous value to my life over time. (It really is better to give than receive!)
Lately, I have extended this personal campaign a bit to include what seems like another personal life application:
“If you think something, do something.”
This one has been the product of being more mindfully aware of my own thoughts — noticing them clearly — and then taking action on the readily doable ones that I believe can add value to my life.
If I think of a friend I have not talked to in a while, I will send the person a note.
If I think of a book someone else might enjoy, I will recommend it.
If I have an idea for a new online support group, I start it and invite people.
If I think of an idea for a short story (like this one), I sit down and write it.
This simple approach has been a powerful antidote to overthinking, avoidance, and regret.
So if you find yourself struggling with any of all of these, try practicing these two strategies the next time you have a positive thought or idea about your world — and especially the people in it:
If you see something, say something.
If you think something, do something.
And if you notice yourself finding this challenging — because it certainly can be — then take that opportunity to notice what is coming up for you: the thoughts, the feelings, the urges.
Those can all be invaluable clues to getting past some of your personal hang ups.
