Just do it! (with apologies to Nike)
So yeah, I’ve spent a few of the other articles here talking about how difficult it can be to just do it, and here I am telling you to just do it.
What a hypocrite I must be, right?
I don’t mean it that way. (I know all hypocrites also say that but hear me out first, m’kay?) I mean to do SOMETHING.
Something new. Something different. Something that will help connect you to what you’re searching for, even if you don’t
know what it is, or even really know what you’re doing, for that matter.
This goes double for you of those out there who “live in your head” (like me) You know who I’m talking about – the ones
who “think too much” who read a ton of books, who spend almost the entire day at the computer. (By the way I’m guilty on
all three counts.) Not that there is anything wrong with that…but there is no substitute for honest-to-goodness
experience and action.
Think about swimming, for instance. Which do you think would help a person who doesn’t know how to learn to swim – 5 books
on the subject and 2 days to practice, or 30 minutes in an actual swimming pool? When we do things, our whole body becomes
energized. We’re using our physical selves as well as the mind, and often our emotions get involved as well.
Consider even the relatively mundane act of assembling a bookshelf. You have to read the instructions first, which is a
mental activity (of course this depends on the bookshelf in question) Then you’ve got to assess how much space it will
take up, where it’s going to go. This requires the spatial recognition part of the brain.
After that you actually have to take the separate pieces and fit them together, which is continuing to use the spatial
part of the brain, but also adding in physical motion. Physical sensations also send signals to the brain.
Finally you have to place the bookshelf in place. (and maybe add some books to it too)
So what you thought was a simple endeavor (and it some ways, still is) actually activated more than one part of the brain.
You had to use your hands, your eyes and your head to put it all together. Even if you’ve done it before, it’s still
something that requires your attention, and the act of paying attention already has neurological benefits.
Doing is a form of learning. When you do something, your brain gets activated in all sorts of ways. The prefrontal cortex comes
online so you can think concretely about things. The subconscious gets involved so that long-term memory gets in on the actions.
Neurons are firing and connections are being created in lots of good ways. This is good for the brain!
Doing things is also one of the best ways I know of to get out of ruts. If you feel you’re stuck, whether in work or life
on love or something else, do something. Do something new. Or do something old in a way you’ve never done before. When
you wash the dishes, for instance, slow down and look at each plate as you wash it.
So go out there and do something. Start small, you don’t need to change the world just yet. Mow the lawn or clean your
cupboards. Go grocery shopping. Design a website. Go for a jog. It might just give you the change you’re looking for.