Confessions of an overthinker and other sundry musings
On creative overwhelm and overcoming anxiety, a first Lenten sacrifice, and a #whatimreading update shared rather sheepishly (YES it involves Agatha Christie)
Hey friends,
It’s been over a month and I haven’t posted anything on this Substack page.
I have sat down and typed up and deleted probably two dozen versions of an email to send out, because #overthiking.
I have probably over half a dozen nearly complete drafts of book lists, pointed essays, and encouraging messages to send out sitting saved in my Word documents.
But I keep going back and forth about what I should publish until those drafts begin to resemble a scene from The Three Stooges as they scramble for access into the forefront of my mind.
Do any of you all relate to this productivity struggle? Do you spend far more time overthinking something than simply just doing it?
The way you all responded to my post last year on ADHD and mom brain (see below), I imagine at least a few of you do.
The truth is, it has only been in the last year that I have become aware of and been able to work on overcoming the fact that a lot of procrastination is based on stone-cold anxiety, not just laziness.
The simple awareness of the way doubt or fear of failure can block us from tackling things that, in reality, have a high likelihood of success has been so empowering to me, and it has also helped me to reorder my thoughts in a real and tangible way.
This has not only contributed to my productivity but deepened my walk with the Lord and made my relationships and my calling as a homemaker far richer and more fulfilling in countless ways.
(Not that it doesn’t happen, as clearly indicated above. I’m also sometimes just plain lazy. The thing is conforming our thoughts to Christ in these moments of doubt or disarray. Anyway, you may as well just read on:)
Don’t worry, I’m not trying to obnoxiously excuse my lapse in posting by pontificating on my newfound passion for finding peace in anxiety instead of writing anything substantial.
However, I do want to share this passion with you. So, I wanted to make a quick but necessary and earnest note to you, dear readers:
If you are a premium subscriber, I want to make sure that you know that you have access to my exclusive reader library, which is where I have chosen to publish three ebooks, including my guide to cultivating feminine virtues through routine prayer and meditation, Unburden Yourself.
You can also download my guide to a cultivating a rich and Christ-centered literary life, Bold Truth & Good Books, the guide to our casual book club community behind the paywall here at A Homemaker’s Manifesto.
This is also the new home for my very first ebook Back to Homemaking, which highlights the virtue and value of women’s domestic roles.
Remember, these are all 100% free for premium subscribers and can be accessed here:
Also, all subscribers have access to our reader chat where we have great discussions on everything from homemaking tips to #tradlife influencers to the follies of feminism and more.
If you are a premium subscriber, you can start a thread at any time in this chat, so please feel free to ask questions from the community at any time, I’d love to get to know each other more over there.
I also have several podcast episodes available exclusively for premium subscribers, like this one confronting some of the nuances of biblical femininity:
The reason I am sharing this with you all is that unlike big platforms with hefty advertising structures that hire writers like me to create content for their brand, as an independent writer you make my platform possible.
I want to make sure you know what you have access to because it’s created with love just for you.
Also, Substack just launched its new DM feature, and I would love very much to hear from you with any questions, comments, or feedback! I can’t wait to chat with you.
I have not been using Instagram these last two weeks, marking the very first time I’ve ever given anything up for Lent.
Like so many things commonly chosen to sacrifice for this ancient observation, it strikes me how giving up use of the social media platform as I meditate on the Lord’s sacrifice for me is exponentially more beneficial for me than it is to be on Instagram every day.
It has added profound new depth to my understanding of the death we die to take up our crosses and follow after Him, Who took on death that we may thus live.
What has so often felt like a grim reality to the Christian life now strikes me as glorious, reality-changing freedom from the shackles and burdens of life in this fallen world, as a fallen creature.
This year, I wanted to add to a daily mindful consideration of our Lord’s humility and passion for our sakes with a visual representation in our home, and this low church evangelical has been really loving the sweet and striking little touch purple flowers have added to our living room cross:
Do you observe Lent? If so, what are you sacrificing this year?
Finally, I can’t go without discussing books since doing so is, as you may know, my love language.
I’ve got a post coming up on books I’m still reading even after months or even years, so I want to take a second and encourage you to feel literally no shame for not finishing books or taking ages to do so. Reading is intellectual sustenance, not a tangible metric with which to measure our status and worth, so quit beating yourself up and read what you love.
Well, it is with a great degree of sheepishness that I have to admit I am still on my massive Agatha Christie kick and that Poirot novels comprise the bulk of my “audiobook hour,” as I may refer to the delightful moments in the afternoon and evening when I pop in the earbuds and get cracking on dishes and laundry.
I recently finished Appointment With Death which I found to be a fascinating exploration of the very grotesque nature of power-hungry women, and I’m currently engrossed in Evil Under the Sun which I’ve found to be one of her most gripping novels yet.
I have also been reading Alison Armstrong’s The Queen’s Code, which is often recommended on the topic of masculine-feminine polarity, and I am finding to be really enjoyable so far (it is not a Christian book, full disclosure).
What are you loving reading these days, friends? Can’t wait to hear from you all, as always! Praying you are having a blessed week and Lenten season, friends.
This line hit me like a ton of bricks.
“I have become aware of and been able to work on overcoming the fact that a lot of procrastination is based on stone-cold anxiety, not just laziness.”
I feel like you’ve been reading my mail. lol
Agatha Christie is always a good idea. I read so many of her books as a teenager, but they definitely hold up; they're still good as an adult!
I just read "Foster" by Claire Keegan and absolutely loved it. Her writing is incredible. The audio version was excellent with the Irish dialect spoken so well. I also just finished "The Count of Monte Cristo." Also good, but it definitely took a few weeks to get through it!