I like to THINK.
My thinking forte: PSYCHOLOGY.
I’m that cryptic person you see staring off into the distance, trying to figure out WHY someone would choose that outfit/words/action/hairstyle. WHY they did that, HOW they came to that conclusion. It’s absolutely fascinating. Human Psychology. I think this is why I love training so much. I’m pretty good at motivating individuals – listening to what makes them “tick” and then choosing the best motivational sentences and phrases that will help them get their workout done.
Like WHY does this picture even exist?!?
Or this one?!
Travis is one of these weird people too. Except that his thinking forte is MECHANICS. The WHY’s and HOW’s of physics and engineering. He likes to take things apart and analyze the inside. I like to pick apart PEOPLE and analyze their insides.
We make for an exciting couple.
It was my thinking that brought on this post – the What Ifs. Some of it’s serious, some funny. All of it meant to make you think.
The What Ifs:
….you’d actually be healthier if you GAINED 5 pounds?
….you could improve your marriage if you put him first and stopped playing the princess?
….life isn’t about getting ahead in anything but happiness and charity?
….this teeny tiny healthy living community is the only one that gives a hoot about clean eating and HIIT and Oxygen magazine?
….we acted more like children and less like ourselves?
….you stopped talking and started doing?
….you spent as much time with God during your day as you do worrying about how you look?
….you could be inspirational by doing less?
->What would happen if you replaced the time you spend worrying about your body/your job/your lawn and focused it ON OTHERS?
->What would happen if you threw out your smartphone and started interacting IN PERSON?
->What would happen if you hugged that person on the street? Would they hit you? Would they thank you?
These are the things I think about. The What Ifs of Body/Soul/Mind.
I’ll admit – I am one of the MOST NAÏVE people you may ever meet. I know that some of you read those “What Ifs” and scoffed at my naiveté. Thought, “sure, sure we should do all that. Now come live in the real world, sweetie.”
The thing is…every single naïve idea comes from a place of innocence rooted in us all. And I’m pretty sure we’re supposed to hold on to that for as long as we can (Matthew 18:3). To look at the world through rose-colored lenses.
What if life ISN’T about how you’re living it, but something much more?
WHAT IF the things you think are important ….aren’t?
Are we willing to change? To be uncomfortable? To start tearing down these idols and direct our THOUGHTS and attention to the things that truly matter?
Are we willing to put ourselves last? To really think about how we spend our days?
To change would be an awfully big exercise in humility.
Good thing I like exercising.
Day 133 of Tearing Down Idols. YOU IN?
QUESTION: What is your “thinking forte”? Give me another “WHAT IF.”
splendid…lindsay
Ah I love thinking about this stuff. Well, I like analyzing why people do what they do and I think it really helps me to love others and (hopefully…I’m not perfect!) not to judge others’ actions.
This drives the BF nuts sometimes because when he’s mad at someone, I will try to explain where the other person could be coming from, but it’s a helpful “skill” to have.
Like at a restaurant when the server is doing terrible, but you can tell he/she is still trying hard…it’s not appropriate to tip terribly or to yell, but to think about how they could be going through a really rough time right now and they are just struggling to survive. Sometimes just being kind and understanding will turn their night around.
Wow, long comment. High-five to the “thinkers!” :)
I just acted on a huge what if – what if I left my lab job and worked my ass off at a bunch of part time gigs that I a passionate about. Where will it take me??! We are going to find out…
Needed this post Linds!
I too love analyzing (over analyzing?) things, people and motivations. Definitely a fun game to play. But I will have to say that I’ve moved away from the “what ifs” because I felt like it was driving me to an unhealthy place – dwelling on the past and having a hard time moving forward and living and embracing my life. But I think that I’m OK with the what-if game as long as it’s not about me :-)
Linsday. This was awesome and I so needed it. Maybe God gave you inspiration to write this for a certain girl in Calgary, Alberta…who needed to ponder a different kind of “what if”.
Such a timely post, especially at this time of year. Love your what ifs… we need these constant reminders to rethink the norm, why we do what we do, what’s the point? What really matters, and are we doing it? Thanks, friend. :)
What a beautiful post! A great reminder to remember to make sure we’re prioritizing the right things in life!
I love this, Lindsay! The one that spoke to me most was the one about being inspirational by doing less. What a thought!
Such a great post Linds, the one that sticks with me is ….life isn’t about getting ahead in anything but happiness and charity? I struggle with my competitiveness and how uncomfortable I feel when I try to relax. I always need to be DOING and SUCCEEDING. I love my life and I’m happy, but I want to find better ways to relax and give more.
Working with criminals, their families and victim’s families for television always has me questioning the what-ifs and the whys. I have to attempt to explain things I have no commonality with which is eye opening and often uncomfortable. It also makes me appreciate all that I have and hug my husband and dog extra hard whenever I get home to them.
Great post Lindsay! I went through a sort of “lightbulb” moment several months ago. When I realized the amount of thought and energy I was putting into food/diet/exercise…I was like what the…?? Who am I? None of this matters! I got really angry at myself for becoming so self-absorbed. There are so many more important things to be spending your time on, it’s ridiculous!
Great post! My thinking forte is probably Biology (what I have my bachelor’s degree in). I love medical science and anything like that.
These ones particularly resonated with me:
What if…you’d actually be healthier if you GAINED 5 pounds?
….life isn’t about getting ahead in anything but happiness and charity?
Also, I want to focus more on God and not on vanity. Thanks for a great post today!
I’ve actually been working a lot on not worrying about what others think about me, and my choices, and what path I end up taking in my life. I guess the ‘what if’ is ‘What if you let go of everything you thought others thought you were supposed to do/be/say…or even your own expecations of what your life should have/would have/could have looked like…and focused on doing what is best for you, and the new path laid out for you…?”
Something like that.
[What if Sarah could NOT be so verbose? ;)]
Great post Lindsay! I definitely over analyze most things in life. My Mom has her masters in psychology, so she’s always using these little brain teasers to get me to really think and I find is so fascinating. It’s super easy to allow ourselves to get caught up on those little things that don’t truly matter in the end and this is a great reminder! I love the what if you stopped talking and started doing. Sometimes I can talk about something I want to do for days, but not actually do it. Why? Because of fear, but I need to let the fear go and live in the freedom!
Always makin’ me think, Lindsay. I love the end part about being naive…I’ve been told in the past that I am naive and sometimes I know I still am. I like to give people the benefit of the doubt. But, as you said, there’s a goodness about having some naivete. By the way, I think you could write a book with your little bits of wisdom :)
Man, your post has my mind WHIRRING over here. I don’t even know how to respond to your last question let alone any of the ‘what if’s’ in this post. All I know is that God created us with pretty incredible brains and He gave them to us for a reason — to cause us to always think, question, wonder, change. Which is exactly what this post portrays — our ability to think differently, think beyond our normal and create new normals, that’s what it’s all about, right? LOVE this post. SO so much. I’m telling you, this is gonna be on my mind all day long now.
Love this Lindsay! I think so much & things like this are always the culprit to plaguing my brain late at night or during a run. I always think “What if today doesn’t go as planned?” I’m a huge planner & this causes me to break down barriers & adapt to change. Thanks for another awesome post lady!
Love this! I’m a thinker, an analyzer, a psychology fanatic as well… It’s all so very intriguing. Thank you for this reminder today. It’s easy to get caught up in the little stuff, the stuff that truly doesn’t matter in the end!
Whoa girl. Deep in a Monday! I the same way about the kind – it fascinates me. I’ll go out to eat by myself and just watch everyone around me and how they interact. God know what they think of me. Lol!
I love this! I just read another article about consulting with your inner 6 year old and this totally reminded me of it! I love this way of thinking and would love to work towards having this attitude more often :)
I’m a mental health counselor, so psychology is totally my thinking forte! People fascinate me beyond belief – I feel so thankful to have the job that I do. People tell me their inner most thoughts and private behaviors, and I get to dissect them. It’s a challenge, but one I’m infinitely passionate about.
We’d have a blast people watching :)
what if we said less and listened more? What if in the midst of trials and suffering, we praised HIM?
What if HIS mercies were new every morning? oh wait, THEY ARE!
hugs. Love this.
I love and strive to live the WHAT IF YOU COULD BE INSPIRATIONAL BY DOING LESS.
youre on such a roll with your posts, Lindsay.
Im really enjoying them.
that means more than you know, Miz!