1703: Rabbit holes and getting stuck in the mud
If you’ve ever found yourself going down overwhelming rabbit holes that don't even interest you, then today’s episode has some counterintuitive logic that I think is going to help!
Episode transcript:
Good morning, Daily Peppers, and a very happy Thursday to you. So this week we had to go and get Mr. Meg a bike, and let me tell you, when it comes to shopping and making decisions, I might not be the worst, but I'm Pretty up there. Give me big life decisions and I can make them fairly quickly. If you want me to make a purchasing-related decision, I am quite the nightmare. I quickly go down the rabbit hole of whatever it is that I'm looking at, and I'm suddenly bothered about all these terms that I had no idea even existed a minute ago. Take for example buying a fan. It should be pretty easy, but I get so obsessed and then I spend hours on it And then I get frustrated and shut the laptop lid and I have to start all over again.
So let me tell you the pure joy of the experience of buying Jack's bike, and trust me, it does relate to building a life we love and our creative projects, so bear with me. So we're on a bit of a mission to get as many things for the flat and for our lives secondhand. So with Mr. Meg's bike, a quick online search led us to this really cool charity that sells a lot of pre-loved bikes and just do some really cool stuff. Their website didn't give any options, they just said to give them a call, so I gave them a call, told them our budget, told them roughly what we were looking for, and the person working there came back with 4 options with a clear favorite in mind of what would be the best fit. We went down that afternoon, it definitely was the best fit, and we were sorted. The bike was in really cool colors really well looked after, and exactly what we were looking for. In fact, better than that.
Now, had I been left to my own devices, I would have gone down the rabbit hole for so long that I would become a semi-expert on all things bike related. Not only that, my anxious brain would be hyper-fixed on safety, and I would take on this hyper-responsibility and magical thinking about how if we were to pick the wrong bike and something happened, it would be all my fault. But here we have it, we've got limited options and it is all done in the course of an afternoon. And the reason I'm sharing this is because sometimes we just have to limit our options or go ask somebody who knows more than us and make a judgment from there. Now I know for so many of us, freedom is one of our most dearly held values But sometimes that sense of freedom and the infinite options can just keep us really, really stuck in the mud. I know for me, with my creative projects, limitations and containers have been the things that make them actually exist in the first place and make them fly. So while it feels counterintuitive, sometimes fewer options is best. So if you are going round and round in circles Or going deep down rabbit holes that you're not even interested in, try limiting the options.
Try taking away some of the choices and add some constraints. You might mourn the infinite possibilities to begin with, but in a lot of situations, I think future you will be very grateful. And one last thing about the bike. I get buyer's remorse over everything, but I love this bike. There were 4 to choose from, one was a clear winner, and we walked away feeling excited about the bike rather than comparing it to all the could-have-beens. So that is my food for thought for you today. Have a good one, and I'll see you tomorrow.
Transcription automatically produced by Castmagic.io
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The Daily Pep! is the rebel-rousing, daily podcast for couragemakers, creative, multi-passionate and unconventional women.
If you’re surrounded by people who don’t get who you are or what you do, if you want reminders you’re on the right path (no matter how scary it feels), or you’re sick of being your very own worst enemy, this is the podcast for you.
Every weekday, your host - writer, coach and professional rebel-rouser - Meg Kissack helps you build a creative and wholehearted life, one day at a time. Through short and snappy insights, reminders and stories, The Daily Pep! is here to remind you you’re not alone, and that everything changes when you believe you matter. Each episode is short and snappy, designed to fit in with (or help you start) your habits and routines.
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