Procrastination and overthinking -

Two things that almost every person living in the modern age can relate to, in my opinion, now more than ever. Inextricably linked to an unsatisfied mind and oftentimes a sense of worthlessness.

Both daunting and powerful, like a weight being slowly released on your chest, suffocating every creative project and potential step forward into something you need to get done or desire to achieve. Overthinking is like a leech that sucks the integrity and drive out of every creative thought or task that one has on their to-do list. Procrastination and overthinking have no empathy for the artist, they dishonor and dismantle hard work at the expense of 'relaxing' or 'getting to it tomorrow' - procrastination and overthinking have become a currency that we use to pay for a counterfeit version of rest even if it's shambolic and temporary. There is no true sense of self found when procrastination and overthinking have the reins.

To counter this reality we first need to accept that we will never conquer these things. Everyone fights it - but only those who accept that these feelings are an inevitable battle can begin to rise above it.

Next, we need to understand one thing:

Overthinking  = Underacting

This is not an oversimplification, think of it more like a framework that everyone can use to build a better relationship with overthinking.

In the words of a stranger that I follow on social media that I once exchanged a few words with, "action is like a pressure release valve." Be it painting, writing, studying, planning, or testing - action will force the cogs that have started to accumulate dust to begin turning again. It's a simple solution because what we often face is a simple problem - there's no action taken. We're taught at a young age in school Newton’s third law which clearly states "For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction," yet seem to forget that simple lessons we learn as children can often be applied on a larger scale. This principle is something that I am learning myself and consistently have to remind myself of. It feels like I've had to relearn this lesson every other month for the past year, and I'm sure most could relate.

It's often exhausting.

But I'll happily remain a student learning from action any day before I let my overthinking trample the life out of my ideas.