All in My Head I Think About It Over and Over Again
What is holding people back from the life that they truly want to live?
I'd say that 1 very common and destructive thing is that they don't know how to terminate overthinking.
They overthink every piddling problem until it becomes bigger and scarier than it actually is. They overthink positive things until they don't expect so positive anymore (and as the anxiety starts to build).
Or overanalyze and deconstruct things then the happiness that comes from just enjoying something in the moment disappears.
Now, thinking things through tin be a neat matter of class.
But getting lost in a sort of overthinking disorder – where you too oftentimes depict up worst-instance scenarios in your mind or try to see all the possible outcomes – can result in you becoming someone who stands yet in life.
In becoming someone who self-sabotages the good things that happen in life (and the proficient news you lot go).
I know. I used to spend as well much fourth dimension on overthinking things and information technology held me back in ways that weren't fun at all.
Only in the past 10 years or so I've learned how to make this effect so small that it very rarely pops up anymore. And if it does then I know what to do to overcome it.
In this article I'd like to share 12 habits that have helped me in a large, big way to become a simpler and smarter thinker and to live a happier and less fearful life.
I hope it will be of help for any other chronic overthinkers out there too to spend less time on those repetitive thoughts.
Bonus: Download a free step-past-step checklist that will show you lot how to end overthinking (including 2 bonus steps that are not in this post). It's easy to save equally a PDF or impress out for whenever you demand it during your twenty-four hours or week.
1. Put things into a wider perspective.
Information technology's very easy to fall into the trap of overthinking modest things in life.
So when you are thinking and thinking about something the first step is to ask yourself:
Will this matter in 5 years? Or even in five weeks?
I've establish that widening the perspective by using this simple question can chop-chop snap me out of overthinking and catastrophic predictions and assist me to let go of that situation.
It allows me to finally stop thinking about something and to focus my time and energy on something else that actually does matter to me.
2. Set a curt fourth dimension limit for a decision.
If y'all do not have a time limit for when yous must make a decision and accept activity then you can but keep turning your thoughts around and around and view them from all angles in your listen for a very long time.
And then learn to go better at making decisions and to spring into action past setting deadlines in your daily life. No affair if information technology's a modest or bigger conclusion.
Hither's what has worked for me:
- For small-scale decisions like if should get and exercise the dishes, respond to an email or work out I unremarkably requite myself 30 seconds or less to make a decision.
- For a somewhat larger or difficult determination that would accept taken me days or weeks to recollect through in the by I apply a borderline for 30 minutes or for the end of the workday.
three. Stop setting your day up for stress and overthinking.
You tin't totally avoid overwhelming or very stressful days.
But y'all can minimize the number of them in your calendar month and year by getting a good start to your twenty-four hours and by non setting yourself up for unnecessary stress, overthinking and suffering.
3 things that aid me with that are:
Get a skilful start.
I've mentioned this many times by now. And with skillful reason.
This is maybe the best way to influence your mean solar day. Because how you first your day tends to oft prepare the tone for your day.
A stressed morning leads to stressed mean solar day. Consuming negative data as you ride the double-decker to your job tends to pb to more pessimistic thoughts during the rest of your twenty-four hour period.
While for example reading something uplifting over breakfast, getting some exercise and then getting started with your about important task right now sets a good tone for the twenty-four hours and volition assist you to stay positive.
Single-task and have regular breaks.
This will help you to keep a sharp focus during your twenty-four hour period and to get what's virtually important washed while also allowing you to rest and recharge and then you lot don't start to run on fumes.
And this somewhat relaxed mindset just with the narrow focus will help you to recall clearly and decisively and avert winding up in a stressed and overthinking headspace.
Minimize your daily input.
Likewise much information, too many times of only taking a few minutes to cheque your inbox, Facebook or Twitter account or how your blog or website is doing leads to more input and clutter in your mind as your day progresses.
And then it becomes harder to think in a uncomplicated and clear way and easier to lapse back into that familiar overthinking habit.
iv. Become a person of action.
When yous know how to become started with taking activeness consistently each twenty-four hour period then you'll procrastinate less past overthinking.
Setting deadlines and a good tone for the twenty-four hour period are two things that have helped me to become much more of person of activity.
Taking minor steps forward and but focusing on getting ane small step done at a time is another addiction that have worked really well.
It works so well considering yous do not experience overwhelmed and so you lot practise not desire flee into procrastination or lazy inaction.
And even though you may be agape, taking just a stride is such a small thing that yous do not get paralyzed in fear.
five. Realize that you lot cannot control everything.
Trying to think things through 50 times can exist a way to endeavor to control everything. To comprehend every eventuality so you don't risk making a mistake, fail or looking like a fool.
But those things are a part of living a life where you truly stretch your comfort zone. Everyone who you may admire and have lived a life that inspires you has failed. They have made mistakes.
But in most cases they've also seen these things every bit valuable feedback to learn from.
Those things that may look negative have taught them a lot and take been invaluable to help them to grow.
So stop trying to control everything. Trying to do and so simply doesn't work because no one can come across all possible scenarios in accelerate.
This is of course easier said than done. So exercise it in small steps if y'all like.
half dozen. Say stop in a situation where you know you cannot think straight.
Sometimes when I'm hungry or when I'm lying in bed and are about to go to sleep negative emotions and thoughts start buzzing around in my mind.
In the past they could do quite a bit of damage. Nowadays I've become adept at communicable them quickly and to say to myself:
No, no, we are not going to think near this now.
I know that when I'm hungry or sleepy then my heed sometimes tend to be vulnerable to not thinking clearly and to negativity.
So I follow up my "no, no…" phrase and I say to myself that I volition retrieve this situation or issue through when I know that my mind will work much better.
For instance, after I've eaten something or in the morning after I have gotten my hours of sleep.
It took a bit of practice to become this to piece of work but I've gotten pretty good at postponing thinking in this way. And I know from feel that when I revisit a situation with some level-headed thinking then in 80% of the cases the issue is very minor to nonexistent.
And if there is a real consequence then my mind is prepared to bargain with it in much better and more constructive mode.
vii. Don't become lost in vague fears.
Some other trap I've fallen into many times that accept spurred on overthinking is that I've gotten lost in vague fears well-nigh a state of affairs in my life.
And and so my heed running wild has created disaster scenarios near what could happen if I do something.
So I've learned a improve mode to suspension out of such a vicious cycle and that is to start ask myself:
Honestly, what is the worst that could happen?
And when I've figured out what the worst that could happen actually is then I can also spend a piddling time to think nigh what I tin practice if that frequently pretty unlikely thing happens.
I've found that the worst that could realistically happen is usually something that is not equally scary as what my heed running wild with vague fear could produce.
Finding a different perspective and clarity in this way ordinarily only takes a few minutes and scrap of energy and it tin save you a lot of time and suffering.
8. Work out.
This might sound a bit odd.
But working out tin actually aid with letting go of inner tensions, worries and to reduce my stress levels.
It most oftentimes makes me feel more decisive and when I was more of an overthinker then information technology was oft my go-to method of changing the headspace I was in to a more constructive one.
9. Become enough of good quality sleep.
I think this is ane of the most commonly neglected factors when it comes to keeping a positive mindset and non go lost in negative idea habits.
Because when you haven't slept enough then you become more vulnerable.
Vulnerable to worrying and cynicism. To non thinking equally clearly equally you lot usually practice. And to getting lost in thoughts going around and around in your listen as you overthink.
And then let me share a couple of my favorite tips from my daily routine that assistance me to slumber meliorate:
Keep it cool.
It can feel overnice at kickoff to get into a warm bedroom. But I've found that I slumber amend and more calmly with fewer scary or negative dreams if I proceed the bedroom cool.
Keep the earplugs nearby.
If y'all, similar me, are easily awoken by noises then a pair simple earplugs can be a life-saver.
These inexpensive items have helped me to get a good night's sleep and sleep through snorers, noisy cats and other disturbances more than times than I can remember.
Don't try to force yourself to go to sleep.
If y'all don't feel sleepy then don't get into bed and try to forcefulness yourself to go to sleep.
That, at to the lowest degree in my experience, but leads to tossing and turning in my bed for an 60 minutes or more.
A better solution in these situations is to wind downwardly for an extra 20-xxx minutes on the burrow with, for instance, some reading. This helps me to go to slumber faster and, in the end, get more than sleep.
x. Spend more of your time in the nowadays moment.
By being in the present moment in your everyday life rather than in past mistakes and life experiences or a possible future in your mind you can supersede more and more of the fourth dimension you usually spend on overthinking things with merely being here right now instead.
Three ways that I frequently use to reconnect with the present moment and to practice mindfulness are:
Slow down.
Slow down how you lot do whatever you are doing right at present. Move slower, talk slower or ride your bicycle more than slowly. Take tedious and deep breaths.
Past doing so yous go more aware of how yous use your body and what is happening all effectually y'all right now.
Tell yourself: Now I am…
I often tell myself this: Now I am X. And Ten could exist brushing my teeth. Taking a walk in the woods. Or doing the dishes.
This elementary reminder helps my heed to stop wandering and brings my focus dorsum to what is happening in this moment.
Disrupt and reconnect.
If you feel you are getting lost in overthinking then i of my favorite mindfulness practices is to disrupt that thought by – in your mind – shouting this to yourself : End!
And so reconnect with the present moment past taking just ane-2 minutes to focus fully on what is going on around you. Take information technology all in with all your senses. Experience it, hear information technology, scent it, come across it and sense it on your skin.
eleven. Spend more of your time with people who do not overthink things.
Your social environment is an of import thing to recollect about if you want to pause subversive thought patterns and move out of the cycle of overthinking in the long term.
And this is not merely virtually the people and groups close to you in real life. But also well-nigh what you read, heed to and watch. The blogs, books, forums, movies, podcasts and music in your life.
So think most if in that location are any sources in your life – close past or further away – that encourages and tends create more overthinking in your mind. And call up about what people or sources that has the opposite effect on you.
Detect ways to spend more of your fourth dimension and attention with the people and input that accept a positive effect on your thinking and less on the influences that tends to strengthen your overthinking habit.
12. Be aware of the issue (and remind yourself throughout your solar day)
Existence aware of your challenge is important to break the addiction of overthinking.
But if you're thinking that you'll just remember to stop overthinking during your normal day – and in stressful situations such as an upcoming date or task interview – then you're likely only fooling yourself.
At to the lowest degree if you're anything like me.
Because I needed help. It wasn't hard to go information technology though. I just created a few reminders.
My main i was a note on the whiteboard I had on one of my walls at the time. It said "Keep things extremely elementary".
Seeing this many times during my solar day helped me to snap out of overthinking faster and to over time greatly minimize this negative habit.
2 other kinds of reminders that you lot tin can utilise are:
A small written notation.
Simply utilise a postal service-information technology note or something similar and write down my whiteboard phrase, a question like "Am I overcomplicating this?" or some other reminder that appeals to you.
Put that note where yous cannot avoid seeing it like for example on your bedside tabular array, your bathroom mirror or beside your computer screen.
A reminder on your smart phone.
Write down 1 of the phrases above or one of you own choosing in a reminder app on your smart phone.
I for instance use my Android phone and the free app chosen Google Keep to do this.
Here's the next footstep…
At present, you may think to yourself:
"This is really helpful information. Merely what's the easiest way to put this into practice and actually make a real alter with my overthinking?".
Well, I've got something special for you…
Download it now past inbound your email beneath.
Source: https://www.positivityblog.com/how-to-stop-overthinking/
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