DEEP SHIT:
Mental health, existential crises, and making big life changes

 

As I wrote this book, I realized maybe I’m not a straight-up Simon after all, but more of a Simon with my moon in Theodore. I can admit that when shit gets totally overwhelming, I occasionally give in to temptation to hide under my bed for a day or three. (Hey, keeping your shit together is a constant undertaking, even for a type A neurotic who eats Post-it notes for breakfast.)

But when I have a “Theodore Moment,” I try to relax, take my own advice, and remember all the truths I hold to be self-evident: Strategize, focus, commit. Prioritize and delegate. When in doubt, hire a pro. And try to do it all without losing my mind.

Still, there’s a decent amount of mental clutter—like anxiety and perfectionism—that will always be hanging out in my brain and necessitates vigilant, regular tidying. For other people, that clutter could be a penchant for avoidance and self-sabotage, or a crippling fear of failure. Basically, if the Game of Life is one big race around the track, these are the psychological hurdles that we put up in our own lanes (especially Simons, but no chipmunk is immune).

Part IV is all about this deep shit. Real bottom-of-the-rut, scraping-it-off-your-shoes-for-days kind of stuff.

And the sooner you dive on in, the faster you can climb on out.