Analysis – Paralysis

Good Morning! Do you ever find yourself stuck in a circle of thoughts? One little thought, one little feeling, and suddenly they start spinning in circles, and before you know you have thousands on repeat.  I recently learned of the term Analysis Paralysis.  You start analyzing things so much you actually become paralyzed by it. I must admit I have definitely done this (more often then not).  I woke up this morning over tired and my traumatized implanted tooth (see previous post) hurting and found myself over analyzing.  I know some of it is lack of sleep or disrupted sleep. I don’t know about you but when I get broken sleep, I feel more anxious and uneasy.  My darling husband snored last night and one of my kids got me up in the middle of the night. And of course I still have my dental trauma… LOL…  Lack of sleep or broken sleep or even just waking up feeling off – becomes a breeding ground for Analysis Paralysis.  The what ifs start and the worries start and then the stomach starts to churn.  I started to realize I was spinning in the same negative thoughts, so I turned off my phone, turned off the TV, sat up and listened to my kids laughing down the hall and the birds chirping outside. I don’t have to be a victim in my own head.  I have been blessed with another day to start again.  The sun is shining and I know there is a pool calling my name somewhere. But the anxious thoughts are there. What ifs? I can’t exercise because of my tooth (I know it sounds silly but they said no intense exercise for 3-5 days).  I’m sure you are rolling your eyes at that one – because I sure am.  What do I do? I want to be lazy, but I want to do something? But I don’t want to do anything. And the circle continues. I could fold the laundry that’s piled up… but I don’t want to. I could do the dishes piled in the sink, but I don’t want to… I could wash some sheets or clothes, but I don’t want to. I get to this point where I feel like I have to do everything and fix everyone and I get tired of it. I want everything in order and to be perfectly in their place. Yes I may or may not have some OCD hidden in there too.  Just because I like things in their nice neat places does that make me OCD? Ok well maybe, but order in the house makes me feel better. The chaos and mess in the house literally makes me twitch. I think my family has stopped picking things up because they know I will do it. So here’s where the analysis paralysis comes to play – we think and we think and we think and we think…  We analyze until we are literally paralyzed.  Here’s my challenge to myself and to you…. STOP and PAUSE and BREATHE!  Guess what you are ok! You will get unstuck. You will feel better. I challenge us all to STOP the analyzing and tell that anxious voice to STOP. Yell at it if you have to. You will feel empowered when you yell at your anxious voice to STOP! It’s not easy, but I promise it certainly makes you feel better!

STOP……. PAUSE…. BREATHE …. AND ENJOY THE BEAUTY OF THE DAY!