#539 It doesn’t matter what I decide

Today is your lucky day, my friend.
Or at least, it could be, depending on how you interpret what will happen.

Today is your worst day ever, my friend.
Or at least, it could be, depending on how you interpret what will happen.

The choice is yours. It has always been.

P.S. I don’t know about you, but weirdly enough, being able to decide over your luck didn’t feel like a relief to me at first.

That’s a good topic for another day…

You’re not defined by the saint you wish to be someday.

Nor by the sinner you used to be back in the day.

You’re defined by the actions you decide to take today.

And tomorrow.

And the day after.

But mainly right now. Today.

How likely is the scenario you’re worrying about?
And how impactful or life-threatening is that scenario?
Now, how much mental bandwidth is worrying about it taking up?
Are your worries proportionate to the actual danger?
Should you be worrying at all?
If not, could you stop right away?

Of course, you and I both know that’s not always how it works, my friend.

Because even if we know rationally that we shouldn’t worry, the worrier mind tends to scoff at answering rational questions.

Yet today, I had an insight: maybe those questions aren’t meant to dismiss the worrier mind at all but empower the sane mind, temporarily suppressed and overpowered?

Maybe they can provide enough encouragement to make the sane mind stand up for itself again and say, “Enough is enough.”

Maybe that way, the sane mind will put the worrier mind back in its place, reminding it of the only task where it truly shines: protect us from life-threatening risks.

Or maybe not. I don’t know, my friend. You’ve seen me: I’m just another human with good days and bad—productive days and lazy. Days of irrational fears and worry, and days of relaxing, dreaming, and visioning.

But this I do know: worrying too much has never improved my mood, and I doubt it has ever improved yours.

So if you’ve had an overactive worrier mind lately, trying won’t hurt.

Let me know how it goes.

Can’t write at your usual time? Sway, and write later in the day anyway.

A work project doesn’t go your way? Sway, remember your ultimate goal, and keep going anyway.

Can’t go for your usual run because your knee hurts when you woke up? Sway, realize there are more ways to prepare for a marathon than just running, then do a prep session anyway.

If you don’t want to let the day-to-day sway you in your purpose, you must sway with the day-to-day.

When things don’t go your way, sway – but find a way to make progress anyway.