Analysis paralysis sufferers

[Leela]

During my entire life as a consumer with self-agency, I have a pattern of adopting a. hobby and building a huge information and equipment stash that then has the effect of:
1) making me feel sick with guilt
2) makes it impossible to engage in the activity and hobby because of the guilt and the over whelming analysis paralysis

I own too much fabric, yarn, sewing patterns, Ravelry patterns and I belong to way too many streaming services for fitness

Talking to my eldest, Anjali, I found out she's a lot like me - I thought she wasn't because she's so good at getting the stuff done she needs to.

Anyway - finding out someone I admire for being so on top of her life has the same inner dialog, and of course - she may have both inherited the genes, and also grew up influenced by the behavior of the adults around her... and so I realized I don't have to let this control me.

I can't stop the fact that I bought too much crap. It won't make the planet healthier or help the poor. What I can do is get. rid of all the stuff I don't plan on using and let go the guilt.

I have done so. My basement gym only has what I want to keep - and everything superfluous is gone.Same with my clothes. Over the last month on weekends, I cleared out the workshop attached to our garage, the 3rd garage with all the old balls and bats, etc - the pool shed - the basement (our gym) and my clothes , yarn and fabric. I donated a ton of fabric and yarn to 'savers' last year. And Anjali asked me for fabric too - I said to her and her sister - it's all yours if you want it.

It feels great... and yes, I added to my stuff - things I want. I got myself a terra core. and also a power-wave sprint.

But I won't buy more workout dvds, I am cutting back on the streaming services I belong to: I'll keep Les Mills, BodyRock + and Keelo, and zombies run (forever - I'm a early adopter of ZR so it's cheap) - but I am jettisoning SSOD, forte.fit, cathe on demand. I never used them. I have enough cathe dvds but don't want all cathe all the time.

Most important - I am forgiving myself. I have to let the guilt go.

[Vantreesta]

Leela, thank you for sharing your story! I have the same overabundance issues but don't carry a lot of guilt with it. Yet I still know I should part with some things. I don't pay for apps or streaming services but I do use a lot of meditation and Bible study apps and follow a lot of podcasts, not to mention the probably 700 workouts and all the equipment I have. I do struggle to fit everything in and it does cause some stress at times. At some point I will probably try to pare down but it's very hard for me to let go of things. Maybe one of the meditation apps will finally get me to the point you reached! Good for you attacking it and reaching a place of peace and not guilt.

P.S. I love Zombies Run too! I just unlock the free episode per week, but I wish it didn't take up so much space on my phone!

[Leela]

I think my guilt comes from knowing I spent money on things I shouldn't - when others have so much need... plus, I'm part of the climate reality project leadership corps, so I know the impact of excessive consumerism on the planet.

Recent deaths - my close friends' mom died unexpectedly last year... and she and her sister had such a brutal time cleaning out the house so her father could sell.
I thought if I died from covid and my kids had to deal with my junk -that'd be rough,so that's why I started with the yarn/fabric and clothes!

Originally Posted by Vantreesta

Leela, thank you for sharing your story! I have the same overabundance issues but don't carry a lot of guilt with it. Yet I still know I should part with some things. I don't pay for apps or streaming services but I do use a lot of meditation and Bible study apps and follow a lot of podcasts, not to mention the probably 700 workouts and all the equipment I have. I do struggle to fit everything in and it does cause some stress at times. At some point I will probably try to pare down but it's very hard for me to let go of things. Maybe one of the meditation apps will finally get me to the point you reached! Good for you attacking it and reaching a place of peace and not guilt.

P.S. I love Zombies Run too! I just unlock the free episode per week, but I wish it didn't take up so much space on my phone!

[Vantreesta]

I totally get the guilt, think I feel less bc I almost never pay full price for anything. But if I sit and think about it, I do feel some guilt too.

My mother-in-law passed in March and my mom in April. My father-in-law hasn't been able to go through any of her things yet. My dad and I went through some of my mom's stuff that was less emotional but the hard stuff is still left to do. Even just what we have done, though, made me think about how much I have and don't use. My approach so far has been to try to use more of it. But I brought home a lot of her stuff to keep and I have a lot of my grandma's stuff I brought home a couple years ago that I still haven't found places for. I can't bear to part with their things.

[Leela]

Originally Posted by Vantreesta

I totally get the guilt, think I feel less bc I almost never pay full price for anything. But if I sit and think about it, I do feel some guilt too.

My mother-in-law passed in March and my mom in April. My father-in-law hasn't been able to go through any of her things yet. My dad and I went through some of my mom's stuff that was less emotional but the hard stuff is still left to do. Even just what we have done, though, made me think about how much I have and don't use. My approach so far has been to try to use more of it. But I brought home a lot of her stuff to keep and I have a lot of my grandma's stuff I brought home a couple years ago that I still haven't found places for. I can't bear to part with their things.

I"m so sorry for your loss. It's a brutal thing. keeping beloved keepsakes is not hoarding. It's good for your heart.

My mom (87) is an anti-hoarder. My dad died 15 years ago. My 75 yo MIL has what we call junk lasagna - piles of crap which she loves with blankets and stuff when company comes.

[Hsim]

Originally Posted by Leela

I think my guilt comes from knowing I spent money on things I shouldn't - when others have so much need... plus, I'm part of the climate reality project leadership corps, so I know the impact of excessive consumerism on the planet.

Recent deaths - my close friends' mom died unexpectedly last year... and she and her sister had such a brutal time cleaning out the house so her father could sell.
I thought if I died from covid and my kids had to deal with my junk -that'd be rough,so that's why I started with the yarn/fabric and clothes!

Hi, can you tell me about the climate reality project? Sounds interesting and I want to get more involved when I retire. On second thought maybe it would be better to PM me.
Thanks,

[Leela]

Originally Posted by Hsim

Hi, can you tell me about the climate reality project? Sounds interesting and I want to get more involved when I retire. On second thought maybe it would be better to PM me.
Thanks,

my email is lkeshavan@gmail.com to talk offline.
I took this class online:
https://www.climaterealityproject.org/training

It's Al Gore's organization.

I work for a company called ClimateRealithyNow and we are building an app to encourage daily climate action on the invidual basis, and my CEO Founder encouraged all of us to attend this training.

I'm skeptical of a lot of training - worrying it's more fluff than not, but this was excellent. I felt the science I learned was phenomenal.

[TracyQ]

Originally Posted by Leela

I got myself a terra core and also a power-wave sprint.

Hi Leela—I’m not sure if you remember me but we went rock wall climbing many moons ago...I think it’s great that you were able to purge all the extra stuff in your life that was no longer bringing you joy. I think a lot of us here can relate.

How do you like the Terra Core? It looks great and they have a 15% off code.

[Vantreesta]

Originally Posted by Leela

I"m so sorry for your loss. It's a brutal thing. keeping beloved keepsakes is not hoarding. It's good for your heart.

My mom (87) is an anti-hoarder. My dad died 15 years ago. My 75 yo MIL has what we call junk lasagna - piles of crap which she loves with blankets and stuff when company comes.

Thank you, Leela!

Junk lasagna made me smile.

[BunnyHop]

Thank you for sharing your story, I can so relate.

One thing I've realized that has contributed to my piles of stuff is that I haven't moved in twenty years. Before that I'd move every once in a while and have a big clean out just to make moving easier.

Lately, taking stuff to donate or searching out actual junk in the cabinets to toss out has become a regular part of the week. Every trash day I try to make some choices. Admittedly, with the pandemic, the pile of stuff to donate has grown, but at least it's separated out in its own category and I've separated from it emotionally, LOL!

I do have hobby guilt, though. Cross stitch, sewing, quilting, drawing, watercolor, the list goes on and on. At least the supplies for that don't take up much room.

I took up bullet journaling a while ago, and got a lot of great how-to advice from a Youtube channel called How to ADHD, and am seriously wondering just how neurotypical my thought patterns might be. Her advice has been a big help.