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When The Conversation’s Over, Burn the Tape
Replaying it only burns you out.
If there is one thing I have been exceptionally good at in my life, it’s overthinking. There’s even been overthinking of my overthinking. It’s the least productive expense of my time.
It’s not a sign of weakness. It has nothing to do with self-esteem issues. Still, it’s not healthy. It’s steeped in anxiety and the setting of unrealistic expectations for ourselves.
It’s like a tape of the conversation is handed to me when it’s over. This tape is not a consolation prize. It’s a one way pass down a rabbit hole. Rewind, play, stop, rewind, play.
Recently, I found myself in a conversation that was particularly disastrous. I’ve replayed the tape in my head dozens and dozens of times. I can see it starting. I see it escalating and then I see it ending horribly.
I lost sleep over it. I struggled to figure out what the hell went wrong. What could I have done differently? Did I say something that spun it in the wrong direction? At the end of the day, it didn’t matter.
Good relationships, whatever the level, are not ruined with one conversation…
