I have been using writing as my gateway to clarity. There are so many things we go through on a daily basis. We are consuming information at a rate like never before. We have myriad of options to distract our mind. But we rarely take time to reflect. When we are engaged in something, we just go by the routine. Each step leads us to another step. We rarely act and mostly react. When I analyze every critical action of mine, I find lots of flaws and irrationality in my behavior. When I sit down with pen and paper or in front of the monitor with keyboard, I give myself access to things I usually overlook. In doing so, I figure out that I am wired to panic even if there is no need to. I am supposed to overthink because we are programmed to hold pessimism as a shield to any unwanted scenario. Cultivating fear increases our chance of survival. We have been carrying these instincts with us for a long time. We can't just shrug it off. And there is some virtue in possessing just right amount of doubt on possibly everything. But when we put too much doubt in our daily lives, it takes control over us. When to put doubt and when to take risk. We may never know the right balance. But we can review our decisions, our actions and our reactions. Taking out time to reflect on our actions reveals a lot about us. Doing it on a daily basis will help us understand where our approach was wrong and what worked for us.
Why doubt?
We need to have the humility to admit that we know nothing about the world. We know only a tiny fraction of it. Surprises will come. Things we never predicted will happen. What we are going through now (pandemic) is a perfect example. Life is more about uncertainty and less about what I am gonna wear for the event coming up. Things we are certain about has little or no impact in our lives. But things we never predicted will leave a bigger impact either in a positive way or in a negative way. So put doubt. Embrace some paranoia. It will keep us grounded. It will let us focus on the important stuffs. Our resources are limited. Our lives are confined by time. So, when we put doubt and when we know we need to live with the unknown, we shift our energy on the things that we believe will add more value to us in the long run.
Why not?
Our intuition tells us to panic, take quick action and get out of the danger before it arrives. It does help us to survive or avoid huge losses. It also takes us away from the opportunities at times. Our intuitive thinking overshadows our logical stance. When our doubt comes intuitively, we need to ask questions if it is reasonable. Give a second thought unless you are running from a wild bear. Take time to review and reflect and if necessary revise.
What Now?
Write down. Write down the stuffs that are important to review. Things will fall into places. And you will find answers you are looking for.