Open windows
Clearing the Backlog: What “Open Windows” Taught Me About Action
“Open windows” is how I refer to thoughts or ideas I haven’t acted on yet.
Like the background apps running on your phone, these mental windows quietly drain energy. They may not scream for attention, but they slow everything down.
It struck me one day that the human mind has limited bandwidth—and when too many of these windows are left open, our mental capacity suffers.
What’s Lurking in the Background?
Once I had this realization, I began to take stock of the open windows in my mind.
They ranged from the mundane (dust that shelf) to the wildly adventurous (book that parachute jump). Each came with its own "I can’t because..."
So I began challenging those I can’ts.
What if these un-actioned thoughts were blocking new opportunities?
What if my next chapter depended on me moving through them?
At the same time, I started paying closer attention to new thoughts as they came in—before they slipped away unnoticed.
Movement Creates Clarity
As I began taking action, something interesting happened.
Some ideas were clearly past their expiration date.
And that was great—because I could let them go guilt-free.
Others sparked movement. One action led to the next. Some tasks were awful to do, but satisfying once done. And some? Some were an unexpected joy.
The majority were small: to-dos, errands, conversations I’d been avoiding. But others were much bigger—boundaries I needed to set, or long-postponed dreams I finally acted on.
Like the parachute jump.
After I did it, I felt invincible for days.
And finally completing my black belt grading after years of procrastination? That feeling still carries me forward.
Making Room for What Matters
I also started noticing how many windows were tied to things I’d told myself I shouldn’t spend money on—or didn’t "really need." But they stuck with me. So, out of curiosity, I began prioritizing them just to see what happened.
It felt like clearing a backlog.
Every action gave me a little more space.
A little more energy.
A little more momentum.
I started to recognize the internal feeling of resistance—of making excuses, putting things off, telling myself, “Later… when I’m older… when it makes more sense.” Especially when it came to the things that felt indulgent or unnecessary.
Hearing the First Thought
I realized something powerful: the thoughts that called for action never came with justification or explanation. They were quiet. Easy to ignore. Easy to drown out.
But they always came back—like calendar reminders from somewhere deep inside.
So I made a decision:
Notice the first thought.
Ignore the inner debate that follows.
Once I began practicing this, I noticed how often these inner nudges were happening. I just hadn’t been listening closely enough.
Bolder, Braver, Freer
The more action I took, the more life began to flow.
I became bolder.
I trusted myself more.
And the actions I took began to echo with whispers from childhood—old dreams I’d almost forgotten.
I’ve now done things and been places that the Julie of five years ago would have called impossible.
Your Turn:
What “open windows” are running in the background for you right now?
What’s one quiet thought you could act on today—before the excuses kick in?