Every day, I share a Thought of the Day and Question of the Day to spark a little reflection, a little conversation, and maybe even a little clarity. Today, we’re digging into the futility of anxiety, Erma Bombeck style, and indulging in a day-long escape to the past. Buckle up (or, in this case, gently rock back and forth). Let’s go nowhere fast—and everywhere all at once.
Thought of the Day:
“Anxiety’s like a rocking chair. It gives you something to do, but it doesn’t get you very far.” — Erma Bombeck
Anxiety feels like action. The tapping foot, the racing mind, the scroll of 37 worst-case scenarios that run like bad TV you can’t switch off. But most of the time? It’s all motion, no progress. You’re just rocking back and forth in place—mentally pacing but going nowhere.
I’ve had entire mornings where I mentally rehearsed dozens of disasters before I’d even made coffee. And not once did my anxiety ever solve the thing I was anxious about. It didn’t stop the traffic jam. It didn’t write the email. It didn’t change anyone’s opinion. It just sat there, swaying in its chair, whispering, “But what if…?”
That doesn’t mean we can just snap out of it, mental health doesn’t work that way. But it does mean we can notice when we’re stuck in the rocking chair. And maybe, just maybe, we can get up. Stretch. Take a step forward. Or at least pour that coffee.
If this resonates, you might also want to check out this post about excuses vs accountability or this one on fear and forward motion.
Question of the Day:
Pick a random date in the past, and live there for the day. What date do you choose and where are you going?
I’m going with September 19, 1867, Boston, Massachusetts. Why? Because no particular reason but why not Boston.
I want to stand in that 19th-century crowd, smell the horses and cigar smoke, and watch people live their lives. I want to wear a stylish hat, walk the cobbled streets in boots, and jump over horse apples.
But really, I want to feel what a random day felt like before phones, before news alerts, before 24/7 everything. Just one day where I’m not expected to respond instantly. One day where I can just be there.
If you’re into these playful prompts, you might enjoy this post where we ask what you’d bringing your past self to meet your future self
Let’s keep this going.
What’s your favorite mental time-travel destination? Or your favorite way to step away from the anxiety rocking chair? Drop it in the comments below. And if you want Thought of the Day and Question of the Day prompts delivered to your inbox each morning, join the free daily email here.