Don't Overthink It: Make Easier Decisions, Stop Second-Guessing, and Bring More Joy to Your Life

by Anne Bogel

As Annie Dillard writes, “How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives. What we do with this hour, and that one, is what we are doing.” When we spend our time overthinking, that’s what we’re doing.

We don’t want to fritter away our one precious life second-guessing ourselves about a conversation we had last Thursday or whether we’re sick enough to go to the doctor or when we’re going to squeeze in a Costco run this week. We want better for ourselves. But we’re not sure how to get there.

your thoughts can be the enemy, or you can make them your ally.”

get my literal house in order, and to keep my physical environment from sabotaging me, I often repeat a simple mantra: complete the cycle, which is basically a fancy way of saying “finish what you start.”

With our thoughts, we make our worlds.

treat your mind “as you would a private garden and [be] as careful as possible about what you introduce and allow to grow there.”