Hi there, it’s V, putting aside the lofty voice of Microprinciples Microgod because this principle is mostly for me. I mentioned elsewhere that these generally start as hastily-scribbled Post-It notes slapped on my wall. In that sense, they are principles and to-dos.
This means I am telling myself to turn off the firehose. I am the one who needs to avoid ten-dollar words. I more-than-occasionally forget that the problem cannot be other people. And I worry about conversations before I have them, which I do not recommend.
Whatever simulation you are playing out is obviously false; you’re making it up in your head. And even if you are “smart enough” to forecast precisely how that conversation is with your mailman, boss, or ex-lover is going to go down, so what? You still have to talk to them.
Some conversations result in beautiful harmony. Some are awkward noise. Others can feel like a maze, where you end up walking in circles. Then you slow things down to find each other again. Such are conversations. Such is life. Just start the cycle, it will be over eventually.
I don’t recommend worrying about conversations after you have them either, but I scribed no Post-It note about this. I simply don’t have this problem. Having had them, I am grateful for all the words we’ve shared. What matters is that we’re communicating.