Dear One,
With the caring intention of sharing mindset ideas for your Lyme healing which helped me, here’s ‘Analysis Paralysis Aid.’
When “an inability to make a decision due to overthinking a problem”* occurs in the Lyme journey, AKA Analysis Paralysis, what’s there to do?
Avoid?
Procrastinate?
Focus on the issue and worry-a-plenty?
Myriad options with treatments, symptoms, opinions, on-and-on can make choosing kinda tricky.
To say the least.
Our head knows ‘I hafta make a step.’ But, ahem, it’s not happening.
Is it possible, and maybe unconsciously, that we’re fearful and protecting ourselves?
From worsening our situation by choosing ‘wrong-ly’ on a new doctor or practitioner or healing technique.
From being fully seen by a beloved upon vulnerably sharing what’s actually happening with Lyme symptoms.
From feeling judged by dear ones when floating a non-traditional treatment idea that feels spot-on yet might get eye rolls or … boo’d. Kidding. Well, maybe not.
The “Paradox of Choice” – Barry Schwartz’s coined term – is that “while increased choice allows us to achieve objectively better results, it also leads to greater anxiety, indecision, Paralysis, and dissatisfaction” per Becky Kane at blog.doist.com.
Overthinking’s a creativity impeder too per Stanford U. researcher Grace Hawthrone. Ugh.
Analysis Paralysis can create distress and overwhelm on top of an overloaded Lyme-dealing body and mind; when no decision occurs, thank goodness options exist for potential Analysis Paralysis Aid.
Here are some tips for leaning on – which helped (and still help me at times):
• Recognize it’s happening. Awareness is always the first step to behavior change. Once noticing takes place, it’s possible to “take steps to break the pattern” per Crystal Raypole, healthline.com,
• Acknowledge the issue and sit with it. If it feels doable. Not quite a delight, I know. Surprisingly this can, even microscopically, dissipate angst and anxiety. Little by little,
• You aren’t alone. This can help with Lyme’s uncertainty and often unknown answers. Just knowing this can support breathing easier. When a friend reminded me, a big sigh came through,
• Try earlier in the day when “reserves are at their fullest and try to make small decisions as automatic as possible. President Obama famously wears the same exact suit every day to conserve mental energy and willpower for more important decisions later in the day” per Kane. Creating a habit of doing tougher tasks earlier helps as this lowers cognitive load leaving energy for other matters,
• Do a wee thing. Any action – if that’s what it takes. Even a nanometer of progress towards your heart’s desire for healing matters. This may increase confidence in taking another small step. Momentum builds one step atta time,
• Phone a pal, partner, priest, or practitioner whom you respect for perspective or validation,
• Mistakes are practice, training, and ok. Making a decision and then improving it as you go is usually ok, dear one. Especially if you do the next suggestion,
• Your gut knowing or intuition’s brilliant. It was installed for a reason and it’s wise to follow – even if others disagree. My take: it’s Divine,
• Reeling from mulling choices? Break take. Set it aside. Sleep on it. Take a walk if you are able or even just change rooms. Giving the reeling mulling a break and not thinking about it sometimes allows a preferred choice to float up,
• Limit inputs. Like less social media scrolling, random googling, or TV watching. Practicing this when mini Analysis Paralysis occurs gets your practice in before a biggie Analysis Paralysis situation comes. For example, check 3 websites to learn about “The Way of Miracles” documentary by Mark Mincolla instead of 7, and/or
• Mull which option “aligns best with your most important goal or value” per Kane and choose this. Not sure what your values are? Perhaps read 6 Ways to Discover and Choose Your Core Values | Psychology Today.
Dear one, there is no such thing as being fully informed, totally prepared, or completely aware. Our fears goad us into this thinking alas in doing this, there is no end to it. When our mind gremlins do this, it’s not quite serving us any longer nor helping us move through Analysis Paralysis.
Weird as it sounds and one of the fab-est insights I’ve found is … plunge before feeling really, really ready.
If it works for Richard Branson in all kinds of uncertainty and he “figures the rest out on the way,” it can work for us too. With Lyme even.
Lovingly believing in your – and our – ability to Analysis Un-paralysis,
Judy
*Investopedia’s James Chen