How does one stop thinking and start living?

[The Backward OX]

I've been told, many times, that I think too much - about everything.

It's true, I do. And it stifles me, every which way.

I've seen the consequences of people acting without thinking, and I have no desire to be like that; but there should be a happy medium.

So how do I acquire that happy medium?

NB - 1) no drugs; 2) I'm a loner, and I'm not about to become a party person.

Thank you.

[CoolBee]

Baby steps

Tell us something you would like to do but keep thinking about too much?

[The Backward OX]

Originally Posted by CoolBee

Baby steps

Tell us something you would like to do but keep thinking about too much?

Write fiction, without thinking "Is this the correct word?" before every word. Maybe "before EVERY word" is a slight exaggeration, but it emphasises the point.

[CoolBee]

Here's 3 ideas.

(1) How about entering Nanowrimo http://www.nanowrimo.org/- that's nearly upon us again! I did it 2 years ago. Basically, you knock out a 50000 word piece of fiction in a month. You don't stop and edit (unless of course you happen to finish in time!) you just get it all out and down on paper!
It's quite challenging. I did complete it basically by knocking out most of it in the last few days
The point is to get it done and down. By focusing on getting 50000 words out instead of honed perfection of each finely crafted sentence, it might help you shift your mindset!
Commonly accepted 'wisdom' says that you shouldn't publish your first novel anyway, so this might be a good way to get that out of you so you can start the process with a fresh one.

(2) Commit to writing for 15 minutes a day or, instead, a given number of words or pages a day - even if it's your shopping list over and over again. It's a muscle that needs practice.

(3) Perhaps use 'story boarding' techniques, depending on how techie you are, maybe do it as cartoons, or drawings or photos or sounds or whatever first. I used to like doing 'rock operas' where I would compile different sequences of music which suggested stories to me. I still do it but in my head. They were just personal for me, never published! And then write about what you have produced.


PS here's the nanowrimo thread from a couple of years ago. November National Novel Writing Month

[The Backward OX]

Originally Posted by CoolBee

Here's 3 ideas.

(1) How about entering Nanowrimo http://www.nanowrimo.org/- that's nearly upon us again! I did it 2 years ago. Basically, you knock out a 50000 word piece of fiction in a month. You don't stop and edit (unless of course you happen to finish in time!) you just get it all out and down on paper!
It's quite challenging. I did complete it basically by knocking out most of it in the last few days
The point is to get it done and down. By focusing on getting 50000 words out instead of honed perfection of each finely crafted sentence, it might help you shift your mindset!
Commonly accepted 'wisdom' says that you shouldn't publish your first novel anyway, so this might be a good way to get that out of you so you can start the process with a fresh one.

(2) Commit to writing for 15 minutes a day or, instead, a given number of words or pages a day - even if it's your shopping list over and over again. It's a muscle that needs practice.

(3) Perhaps use 'story boarding' techniques, depending on how techie you are, maybe do it as cartoons, or drawings or photos or sounds or whatever first. I used to like doing 'rock operas' where I would compile different sequences of music which suggested stories to me. I still do it but in my head. They were just personal for me, never published! And then write about what you have produced.


PS here's the nanowrimo thread from a couple of years ago. November National Novel Writing Month

I hear you about NaNoWriMo but, (for me, with everything, there’s always a ‘but’) a novel by definition has a plot, and to write 50k without thinking means it would be full of plot holes. That, to me, is anathema.

(Would you believe I made 5 or 6 corrections to the lines above, before posting?)

(2) might work. Thanks

I asked my SO what type of things I think about too much, and she said, “Everything!”

[beautyscientist]

Get hold of a copy of Your Brain at Work by David Rock. You will like it. Think about it deeply. I have a feeling you'll find the information you need to solve your problem in there.

[CoolBee]

You could use nanowrimo a different way - maybe use it as a spur to commit to writing 50000 words not necessarily supposed to form a coherent novel, but maybe 1 short story a day? there are people who do use it for all sorts of purposes eg spurring them on to finish a piece of non-fiction, I recall some using it as the push they need to get some headway on their PhD dissertations, or produce an ebook or whatever.

Here's a challenge for you, respond to this post from the gut, don't preview it and with no corrections and press send.

[The Backward OX]

Funny you should say that. I am presently writing a short story and not having much trouble with it.

[The Backward OX]

It's a novel I'm also working on that's tying me in knots.

[CoolBee]

What are you expecting from that novel when it's finished?
When you DO finish the 70000-80000 words (or more?), what are your views on the editing process?
How will you react when an editor gets hold of it and tells you to cut this or that, rewrite the other?

[The Backward OX]

1. Fame
2. Editing is a fact of life.
3. Music to my ears.

[CoolBee]

So, if you know it's going to get edited anyway, why not get it all out and then go over it and review it as a stage 1 edit?

[janicelou]

actually we all think about the same number of thoughts. we are "always" thinking. What matters is what and how we are thinking

There is really two types of thought.. aimless thinking and thinking on purpose

Thinking on purpose is what you want to train yourself to do! Thinking on purpose means that you are attempting to answer a question, solve a problem, or manifest some goal. Thinking on purpose means you have a reason to be thinking.

When you are thinking "on purpose" you will not feel like you are "thinking to much"

[janicelou]

by the way... Your title reminded me of a great book..... How to stop worrying and start living by dale carnegie! excellent book if you have not read it

[Zorr]

Read a few books then write one of your own

[irfan]

Originally Posted by The Backward OX

Write fiction, without thinking "Is this the correct word?" before every word.

A two-step process: write and then edit. Don't try to do both at the same time. One thing that helps me is to keep a journal, using paper and a pen (a rather fine fountain pen, actually, but that's not obligatory). I find I'm much less likely to scribble and scrawl corrections on paper than I am to constantly revise using a word processor.

[Brutha]

I hear you about NaNoWriMo but, (for me, with everything, there’s always a ‘but’) a novel by definition has a plot, and to write 50k without thinking means it would be full of plot holes. That, to me, is anathema.

That's the point.
When you feel uncomfortable with such a idea it would help you to recognize that feeling. It's an emotion that you get because you would actually change when you follow the suggestion.
Change is scary.

You would have to move out of your comfortzone to do it.
As long as you aren't willing to go out of your comfortzone you probably won't leave your problem.

There might be some tricky way to change you without you noticing it developing resistance but the shortest way goes through facing the fear directly.

actually we all think about the same number of thoughts. we are "always" thinking. What matters is what and how we are thinking

No, when you go into trance you clean your mind and can reduce the mental chatter.

From there we get an easier solution.
Self hypnosis tapes.
You could consult with Angela to make you a custom one that relaxes you and that helps you to go into flow when you write your novel.
You could also use any other tape that puts you into a trance.