The Move Along Box, an adventure in brain wrangling.
It’s called the “Move Along Box” because everything in there has already been thoroughly considered and decided upon, whatever that means for the given thing, so all those persistent thoughts (Repsive thoughts!) wanting to roll round and round about the thing can just MOVE ALONG - they aren’t needed here because the decision about the thing has already been made.
Maybe it’s even been processed a bit! I bet it has. Either way, it doesn’t matter - if the decision has already been made, the thing goes in the Move Along Box, and every time those Repsive Thoughts put the thing back in the anxious brain arena, they’re shooed along to the Move Along Box for permanent residence, or until such time as the thing is desired for reconsideration or processing.
I’m nervous about the party next weekend with my new lady friend where a recent romantic interest of hers will be one of the other few guests. That feels threatening, eiw. I don’t want it to feel threatening, at all. Intellectually I can back my way out of that, but it’s still an instant reaction and honestly I’m not quite sure how that’s going to change- except, that it definitely won’t change if I let the anxious brain chew on the party, imaging all sorts of ways it could feel terrible or go horribly awry. I’ve already decided I’m going, so the anxious brain doesn’t need to chew on it anymore. I thank it for looking out for me, because this is an unfamiliar situation and the poor brain only ever alerts unfamiliar situations as danger.
I can’t believe I’m admitting this at all, but I’ve even decided I’m EXCITED about going to this party.. and I am! Nervous, of course, but I’d be nervous no matter who’s there, just from dressing up and going out in public! Lol. Obv I also know what I’ll be wearing. There is nothing else to consider and no other decision to make. So from now until the party actually happens, the Move Along Box stays wide open - pornographically wide open (QUICK WHAT’S THE FIRST THING THAT CAME TO MIND?) for any Repsive Thoughts about the party.
Brain Wrangling Level: Varsity ⭐️