Understanding Myself with the Power of Smart Brevity and Self-Compassion

Less is More: The Smart Brevity Approach

I’ve always had a habit of over-explaining, whether in conversations, texts, or essays. My thoughts spiral into unnecessary details, and before I know it, I’ve lost my main point. Smart Brevity by Ronald Yaros explains why this happens: “The typical person spends just 26 seconds on a story or update, making it critical to be concise” (Yaros, 2023). That hit me. If I can’t get to the point quickly, people stop paying attention — including myself.

I saw this play out in my writing. In a recent psychology essay, I spent so much time on my introduction that I lost focus by the time I got to my argument. When I applied the Smart Brevity technique — cutting unnecessary words and stating my point upfront — I not only finished faster, but my professor actually praised my clarity. That moment made me realize: sometimes, saying less makes a bigger impact.

Embracing the “Parts” of Me

A big part of my overthinking comes from feeling like I’m constantly at war with myself. One part of me wants to be productive, but another part wants to relax. One part wants to take risks, but another panics at the thought of failing. Before, I saw this as a weakness. But Richard Schwartz’s No Bad Parts changed my perspective: “I want to help you take a second look at who you really are… consider the possibility that you and everybody else is a multiple personality. And that is a good thing” (Schwartz, 2021, p. 12).

This idea blew my mind. What if my inner conflicts aren’t signs of failure, but proof that different parts of me are just trying to help? The procrastinator in me isn’t lazy — it’s trying to protect me from stress. The overanalyzer isn’t annoying — it just doesn’t want me to make mistakes. Instead of fighting these parts, I’ve started listening to them. Asking why do I feel this way? has helped me work with myself, not against myself.

The Bigger Picture

Between Smart Brevity and Internal Family Systems, I’ve started changing how I approach life. Instead of letting my thoughts spiral, I focus on what actually matters. Instead of forcing myself to be different, I try to understand why I am the way I am. And instead of feeling like I have to “fix” myself, I’m realizing that maybe I was never broken in the first place — I just needed to listen.

Works Cited

Schwartz, Richard C. No Bad Parts: Healing Trauma & Restoring Wholeness with Internal Family Systems. Sounds True, 2021.

Yaros, Ronald. “Time on Text.” Smart Brevity, 2023.

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