#99 Oops, I did it again
with apologies to Britney Spears
Hello friend,
I've gone and done it again, haven't I.
I keep doing it without realising it, but I feel undeniably stupid when I become aware of what I continually submit myself to.
It's a pattern I've had for a long time, probably a part of my sensitive, creative nature and personality.
The problem is I get stuck in my own head too much. I like being in my head; it's where the good stuff is. I want to think about things, imagine and analyze the world around me.
There's nothing too sinister about being comfortable inside your own brain and subconscious; I like to think of it as a superpower; not many people want to cultivate their brains.
I can go to many places, create many ideas, see many points of view, witness so much wisdom, make connections, listen, wonder, and lighten up life with so many ideas.
The problem comes when I live in my head for too long; it makes me lose my connection to the real world. My mind can take me to dark places if I get stuck there for a long time.
I need to remember to do other things like go outside for walks, have a conversation with friends, watch something on Netflix or read a book, anything to get me outside of my thoughts.
Often, I can get stuck in a loop of past events, overthinking things and hyperanalyzing my projects or interactions, which becomes overwhelming.
That's what's been happening lately. I've given into the analytical negative part of my brain, which has made me freeze in overwhelming fear and overstimulation.
We all tend to heap so many expectations upon ourselves and that it is demoralizing.
I was really lost until I snapped out of it. I recognised my regular pattern of anxious overthinking and allowed myself the moment to realize everything was ok. It's ok to focus on one thing at a time.
It's ok to close your life's opened tabs, responsibilities, and desires. It's fine to focus on one thing at a time. You can only do one thing at a time anyway, so concentrate for a minute on one task, then move on to the next with the same focus and dedication. Seems so simple, right?!?
So, I will sit with my favourite black pen and scribble out this week's newsletter in my fave Rhodia blank-page notebook. It won't matter if I'm a couple of days behind as long as I get it done and enjoy the physical act of writing words on the page.
I won't worry if anyone will unsubscribe, subscribe or judge my every word. I will encourage my readers, those who love me for who I am, to concentrate on what they have in front of them, too, now in this moment.
Whether that be your family, elderly parents, friends, a good cup of coffee, a satisfying job, a weekend away, a Sunday morning at home, listening to your fave song, having the gym all to yourself, brunch at your fave place or a phone call from someone you haven't heard from for ages.
Whatever you have to be grateful for, it's ok for that one little thing to fill you with joy and gratitude. It's enough to give your attention to the moment. Listen to that voice inside you, follow it, and be open to making small steps towards that joy, and you'll get where you need to be.
January has been such a strange start to the year, filled with ups and downs, broken promises (mainly those made to myself), little steps moving forward, creating new ideas and reviving old ones, and the freezing weather, which is always a challenge and just the right amount of seasonal depression to keep me wrapped up in a warm blanket sipping herbal tea and watching Netflix or mindlessly scrolling on my phone.
The start of the year is always overwhelming until you realize that you must keep to your routine and move towards what you want. No need to overthink it; keep up your daily life, look after yourself and continue with whatever work you were doing last year.
Whether it be improving yourself mentally or physically. Do your personal work and pace yourself by continuing whatever you do. Keep doing things, don't stop.
Follow your passion, lean into your day job, make that thing you want, and learn what you are curious about. Book that trip, and take that language or art class. Write in that diary and strum the guitar you have in your attic.
Do the things that call out to you and make you happy. When you follow your happiness, everything will be more straightforward and good things will happen.
So, I'm starting February with a little foray back into my creativity. I've always liked to sketch and collage. I even started a daily art journal last year, which somehow got left behind, amongst other things. But I'd like a daily art practice to become a part of my routine.
So, I'm designating a bit of my day to make something creative based on a one-word prompt, not putting too much thought into it, using what I already have, and reflecting on this moment.
The first day was all about 'bubbles' of thought, random phrases plucked out of the ether, and reflections on these blackbird days in Italy, the coldest days of the year. Ushered in by the mercanti della neve, the merchants of the snow, those strange Saint days accompanying the winter.
Followed by the prompts of postcards, escape and warmth.
I'm welcoming the new month with my version of #februllage2024, a daily collage challenge for February.
Go over to Instagram to see the daily posts (@rochelledelborrello).
I’ll try and post some more here over the month for you to see, too.
Hope you are surviving the year relatively well.
Thanks for reading along again this week.
Keep being grateful and focusing on one thing at a time, you’ve got this.
I'll check in with you again next week. Let's see how we are going.
All the best from me in Sicily.
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About me
My name is Rochelle Del Borrello (@rochelledelborrello), and I'm a writer based in Sicily, Italy. Over the past decade, I've been writing about Sicily online, as a travel writer and on my blog.
I started 'A Load off my Mind' to share more of my writing, thoughts, and discoveries directly and regularly with you.
My newsletter is a way of sharing what is happening in my creative life in Sicily—part slice of life, part travel memoir and with my philosophical yet honest point of view.
You'll read along in my diary to see a small piece of my journey and life in Sicily.
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