Big Girl Panty Diaries - Entry #34: I’m a Little Obsessed (And That’s Not Always a Bad Thing)
We all have that thing. The ritual we cling to like a security blanket (or in my case, the weighted blanket). The product we swear by like it’s holy water. The person we keep tabs on (even though their Instagram grid hasn’t changed in weeks). The scroll that turns five minutes into fifty. The treat that feels like a reward and a rebellion. (Frozen chocolate-covered banana — anyone?) The practice that makes us feel a little more alive.
Call it passion. Call it a crutch. Call it an obsession. Whatever it is, it’s probably more honest than we’d like to admit.
I’m no stranger to this game. Right now? It’s chocolate ice cream, farm-fresh berries, cherries, basil, and chives. (The chives are for my farm-fresh eggs, obviously — there’s a ritual to the breakfast plate, too.)
Some obsessions show up seasonally. Others stick around like an old friend.
I think my waterfall and fruit-picking obsessions were born out of Covid — when, like so many parents, I suddenly became my kids’ full-time activities director. I’m not a homebody, so I hunted for places to go — even if it meant running or walking 10 miles a day. Turns out, you can discover breathtaking waterfalls practically in your backyard. And you can eat your way through a fruity forest if you’re determined enough. Silver linings, right?
I’ve also been obsessed with my yoga mat (basically my therapist). And yes, sometimes with people — especially the ones who feel just out of reach. Sometimes, the obsession pays off. Sometimes, it’s just control in yoga pants.
In the workplace, it’s no different. The leader who’s obsessed with the new AI tool — without slowing down to ask, “Do we even trust it yet?” The team that fixates on one metric, ignoring the bigger picture. The manager who micromanages every comma in an email because perfect feels safer than done. And let’s be honest — some workplace obsessions are just dead rituals we keep on life support: the daily stand-up, the Monday metrics review, the obsession with Inbox Zero. Helpful? Sometimes. Habit? Definitely. Worth rethinking? Absolutely.
On the flip side, indifference is worse. Obsession, at its best, is a sign you give a damn. I’d rather be a little obsessive than sleepwalk through my own life.
Big Girl Panties Diaries Rule
A healthy obsession adds more than it subtracts. Ask yourself: Is this moving me forward, holding me steady, or hiding me from myself?
May your obsessions be the good kind: The ones that water you, not drown you. The ones that keep you showing up, not stuck scrolling.
And when they don’t? Put down the spoon. Close the app. Look up. There’s a whole waterfall — or a berry patch — waiting.
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