On creative overwhelm and overcoming anxiety, a first Lenten sacrifice, and a #whatimreading update shared rather sheepishly (YES it involves Agatha Christie)
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!
You bring up thought-provoking point when you mention procrastination often being a result of anxiety and not just laziness. I'll also admit, some of my lack of progress at times is due to sheer laziness and lack of self discipline. I also find that perfectionism is something I struggle with and it absolutely will DESTROY my progress with an "all or nothing" attitude it brings. I remind myself with a mantra of "perfectionism kills progress" and vow to move along, piece by piece, even if it can't be done perfectly or all at once. I never realized how firm a grip perfectionism had on me until I started looking at projects that were waiting and tasks undone, wrote them down and asked myself WHY these things were always put off. It was almost always the big tasks. The ones where you have to make a HUGE mess before you can see the progress. (You know what I mean... Like the hallway closet that had to be completely cleaned out in order to put in some shelving for organization and you knew it was going to make an obviously huge mess that would then contribute to the feeling of overwhelm and clutter and chaos...ANXIETY!) And my realization was not only that it was overwhelming, but that I felt as though I had to tackle it all in one bite. So I did nothing instead.
I talked through this with my husband the other day when I was beating myself up for not tackling a project that has been looming over my head, and he was, as usual, wonderfully supportive and encouraging. He encouraged me to tackle a little at a time, even though it meant it wouldn't suddenly be all done (poof!) at once and that was okay. Because eventually, bite by bite, it would finally be done and I could check it off my list and be proud of the outcome.
"Progress is progress, no matter how small" is another one I have to constantly remind myself of.
As for books, I am currently listening to the complete Hercule Poirot collection of short stories by Agatha Christie, on audible. I have set a goal for both physical and audible books this year, and I am having a blast! 😄
I just finished Divine Rivals (cute book) and reading the followup to it AND just finished Atomic Habits. The Queen Code is so good. I need all of that info in my face daily until I learn it. I just ordered The Abusive Wife and Love Thy Body amongst other books. I need a secretary to control my books so I actually read them and not buy more until I read what I have 🤣
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!
You bring up thought-provoking point when you mention procrastination often being a result of anxiety and not just laziness. I'll also admit, some of my lack of progress at times is due to sheer laziness and lack of self discipline. I also find that perfectionism is something I struggle with and it absolutely will DESTROY my progress with an "all or nothing" attitude it brings. I remind myself with a mantra of "perfectionism kills progress" and vow to move along, piece by piece, even if it can't be done perfectly or all at once. I never realized how firm a grip perfectionism had on me until I started looking at projects that were waiting and tasks undone, wrote them down and asked myself WHY these things were always put off. It was almost always the big tasks. The ones where you have to make a HUGE mess before you can see the progress. (You know what I mean... Like the hallway closet that had to be completely cleaned out in order to put in some shelving for organization and you knew it was going to make an obviously huge mess that would then contribute to the feeling of overwhelm and clutter and chaos...ANXIETY!) And my realization was not only that it was overwhelming, but that I felt as though I had to tackle it all in one bite. So I did nothing instead.
I talked through this with my husband the other day when I was beating myself up for not tackling a project that has been looming over my head, and he was, as usual, wonderfully supportive and encouraging. He encouraged me to tackle a little at a time, even though it meant it wouldn't suddenly be all done (poof!) at once and that was okay. Because eventually, bite by bite, it would finally be done and I could check it off my list and be proud of the outcome.
"Progress is progress, no matter how small" is another one I have to constantly remind myself of.
As for books, I am currently listening to the complete Hercule Poirot collection of short stories by Agatha Christie, on audible. I have set a goal for both physical and audible books this year, and I am having a blast! 😄
I just finished Divine Rivals (cute book) and reading the followup to it AND just finished Atomic Habits. The Queen Code is so good. I need all of that info in my face daily until I learn it. I just ordered The Abusive Wife and Love Thy Body amongst other books. I need a secretary to control my books so I actually read them and not buy more until I read what I have 🤣
I can relate being an overthinker myself. Sometimes there's just too much in my head yet so little done by my pen. :-) Have a Blessed Lent!