10 Comments
User's avatar
Michelle Juergen's avatar

Literally what I’ve been talking about in therapy lately. I love overthinking to feel I have control and am “solving” my problems like life is a big escape room and I can just play detective to get out of. My therapist’s homework for me: just fucking DO the thing without intellectualizing your way in or out of it, then you can think about how you feel AFTER you do the damn thing.

Expand full comment
Liz Plank's avatar

i’m so glad you have a cheerleader in your corner! i’ve found that wanting to report back a positive action to my therapist makes me wanna do the hard thing even more :)

Expand full comment
PK's avatar

LOVE THIS. I’ve been doing this or some form of it my whole life. I just wrote a post today about how part of that externalizing of analysis is also a function of “seeing in others those faults we fear in ourselves.” So, while this is also intellectualized navel gazing, I think its a worthwhile exercise, when we have a strong negative reaction to someone or someone’s actions to check in to see if that’s something we fear in ourselves. In any event, thanks for sharing this.

Expand full comment
Liz Plank's avatar

that’s such a great point i do that too!

Expand full comment
Davidian's avatar

I bow to your divine light 🔆

Expand full comment
Liz Plank's avatar

and me to yours!!

Expand full comment
Gérard Mclean's avatar

As usual, you stuck the landing. I was interrupted midway through reading this, came back to it and did not expect it to go there or my reaction to it. Now, I’m off to walk my dog for longer than she wants but shorter than what I need.

Expand full comment
Kathryn Muhammad's avatar

This might have been the most straightforward, healing thing I’ve read in all the work I’ve done. Bless you.

Expand full comment
Hotel Capitani's avatar

Wow.... this one hit home hard. Especially this: "So if you can explain their behavior, it means you’re safe."

Expand full comment
User's avatar
Comment deleted
Sep 23, 2022
Comment deleted
Expand full comment
Liz Plank's avatar

we’re all imperfect and the most beautiful thing we can do for each other is actually accept those flaws!

Expand full comment