Enough is Enough!

It’s a lucky kid whose parents know when to tell him, “enough is enough.”

  • Enough bickering with your brother!
  • Enough obsessing about that grade you got!
  • Enough thinking about what to do – make a decision already!”

With a parent’s help, kids learn to let go and move on. Too bad nobody does the same thing for adults. Many an adult is in desperate need of someone to remind him/her of the following:

Make a Decision Already.

Though the ability to analyze an issue is typically a strength, over-analyzing it becomes a liability. When you find yourself stuck in the “paralysis of analysis,” stop before you hit the point of diminishing returns. After a period of time, more analysis adds nothing productive to your thinking; it simply creates confusion. More data is not the same as more knowledge. Enough is enough!

Stop Ruminating about What Happened.

Two days ago Amy had an argument with her husband. Today she’s still ruminating about what he said (and what he really meant), what he didn’t say (and should have), what she told him (and how he responded) and what she should have told him (if only she had been quick enough on her feet.) Analysis of a conversation is a good thing; microanalysis, however, can send one into a tailspin. Reviewing the details of a conversation can enhance understanding; scrutinizing the details over and over again will create nothing but agitation. Enough is enough!

Time to End the Argument.

After a certain point, does it matter who started it? Who’s right, who’s wrong? After you’ve said what you have to say, suppress the urge to repeat it once again. This does not mean that you can never re-visit the topic again. But know that it's a good strategy to create closure before your discourse gravitates downhill. One way to do that is to deliberately immerse yourself in another activity. Time for dinner, time to clean-up, time to check your e-mail. Why? Because enough is enough!

Move on from “Doom and Gloom”.

It’s easy to let all the bad news stories on TV, radio, Internet, newspaper, and social media affect your outlook on life. Read the headlines, listen to the horror stories, learn about a health scare, hear about a tragedy (whether you know the person or not) and it will get to you. You’re an empathetic person; you feel bad, you feel scared. Understandable. But there’s also a time to let go of the “doom and gloom.” Monitor your exposure to disturbing stories and limit the time you spend with pessimistic people. Enough is enough!

If you keep holding on to yesterday’s baggage, scary stories and terrible tragedies, how will you ever have enough energy and enthusiasm to greet the new day with a forward-going, hopeful, upbeat attitude?

Copyright 2011