I like screwdrivers. I own them in many shapes and sizes - star, flat, philips, miniature, etc. Yup, you could say that I’m a kind of a wannabe handyman. I’ve always loved having a well stocked toolbox.

Indeed, the humble screwdriver is a supremely useful tool. It’s utility is not restricted just to opening and closing screws (as its name implies), but it can be used to wedge open tightly shut cans and jars, chip away dried glue and even break large blocks of ice!

To someone who walks around with a screwdriver in had, everything starts looking like a screw! Imagine if I attempted all sorts of tasks with it, just because I have a screwdriver in my hand - like eating a masala dosa, opening my house door, starting my car ignition, signing on my chequebook, or even operating my new laptop - mayhem would result! Imagine giving your precious new smartphone for repair to a screwdriver wielding handyman. You wouldn’t do that even in a state of temporary deliriium, would you? That would be gross overuse and in fact misuse of the friendly instrument called Mr Screwdriver.

On similar lines, I believe that ‘thinking’ is a tool. A powerful, beautiful and very useful tool, but still a tool nonetheless. It has its uses, and it does a fine job when used properly. But to think that ‘thinking’ can solve all my problems, is quite silly. It's just like imagining that a screwdriver can be used to repair an microprocessor.

Why me?

Will they like me?

What if she breaks my trust?

Why did she look at me that way?

Why did he not reply to my messages?

What will he think of my if he finds out the truth?

After all these years, how could she do that to me?

Overthinking.

It happens when I am using the wrong tool for the wrong purpose. Thinking is quite ineffective when it comes to matters of the heart and emotions.

There, ‘thinking’ is no longer a useful tool. There decision, empathy, communication, courage and action are far more effective tools.

Let me appeal to the good in others.

Let me express myself in the proper way.

Let me take decisions and keep moving forward.

Let me always approach from a place of strength.

Let me decide what I see as the purpose of my life.

Let me continue to believe in myself and my goodness.

Let me try and understand the other persons thoughts and feelings.

These are some tools that work for me when ‘thinking’ ceases to do the job. I’m upgrading my ‘Life toolkit’!