I had an acquaintance who was paralyzed by her own doubts. When she felt the prompting to do something for someone, she’d second guess and third guess until it was too late.

For example, once she felt a new mom in her neighborhood was overwhelmed, and she decided to bring her over a package of newborn diapers and some treats. But at the store she was torn with indecision about what brand of diapers to buy: the no-name brand, like she used for her own kids but might make her look “cheap,” or the fancier brand, which she  feared the new mother might think she was being a show-off.

She eventually bought both brands, then fretted about delivering them. She put it off and put it off until the baby was no longer the newborn and was wearing size 3 diapers.

This woman later said, “I was too focused about doing the right thing in the ‘wrong’ way, then I was too focused about how I’d come off, rather than focusing on the person who was in need. In the end, I never gave her any diapers, which I heard later she really could have used since she’d had to quit work for two months after having the baby, and her income was nearly nothing. She wouldn’t have cared about the brand, just about being loved.”

Below is my all-time favorite Christmas song and video about just doing something, the best way you can:

Just try to do something!