“Overthinking is the art of creating problems that weren’t even there.”
A perfectionist writer with anxiety… my thoughts have a field day with me. Learning to control your thoughts vs. letting them control you is equivalent to getting jumped and trying your hardest to get up. But the key to being in control, is believing you’re in control.
Your mind will believe anything you tell it; it’s plastic, it can be conformed in any way you want.
Roughly, we have about 35 to 48 thoughts per minute- 50-70,000 per day. Most of these thoughts are fleeting, some stick, some are forgotten, some are magnified. This is where overthinking comes into play… the robber of time and energy on things that don’t really matter; deterring our focus from what actually does.
This past year has been a lot, and I mentally could not hold on to every thought… so I had to find the cheat code. We have to filter our thoughts by what’s helpful and what’s destructive; what’s productive and what’s wasteful. And in doing so, we have to adapt a few mindset shifts…
If it’s not explicitly said, it’s not true. If it’s not productive, let it go. The what-ifs and assumptions are going to drive you insane. You don’t know everything. While you may think you’ve got it all figured it out, you don’t. And behaving as if you do enables unhelpful thought patterns and limiting beliefs.
Don’t wonder if answers are available. Why do we craft up others responses and feelings based on what we think, when we can just ask? Communication is key. Confrontation can be nerve-racking, but it beats solving a puzzle with missing pieces.
Embarrassment proves your humanity. Things happen, and they’ll always happen. I’ve done enough “embarrassing” things to last me a lifetime, but who hasn’t? Embarrassment is linked to your ego and a bruised ego prompts hyper-awareness to yourself and all you’ve done. In other words, magnifying the situation. Accepting your humanity will adjust your focus and change your perspective. Eyes ahead, not behind.
Brutal honesty. Stop looking for excuses and crafting white lies because of how you think the truth will be received. You cannot spare someones feelings at the expense of your own. And the time wasted deliberating every possible outcome of what you could say isn’t worth the headache.
Breathe. Write. Rant. Most times, I don’t realize how unproductive my thoughts are until I say them out loud or write them on paper. And with all these thoughts racing through at any given second, sometimes simply acknowledging and releasing is all you need to do.
Be mindful of consumption. Social media will convince you your foot has fallen off as you’re walking down the street. We live in a world of people who love to project their experiences onto others. They’ll make you feel as if you’re doing it all wrong, and even when you correct it, you’re still doing it wrong. Live according to your beliefs; what makes you feel good. Don’t get caught going down a rabbit hole trying to fix what’s not broken.
Worrying doesn’t take away tomorrows trouble, it takes away todays peace.
To worry is a normal human emotion- you’ll never not worry. It’s a natural response to uncertainty. It only becomes unhealthy when it begins to consume you.
They say overthinking is a disease. We drink the poison our minds pour for us and then wonder why we feel sick. 9 times out of 10, it’s not the situation that’s causing you such distress, it’s your thoughts about it. And that’s why taking control is the key to minimizing overthinking.
We’re only human, and sometimes our thoughts do get the best of us… but knowing how to pull back the reigns and come back to, is both a timesaver and a lifesaver. You are not your thoughts. Everything you think is not true. You decide what’s worth holding onto and what can’t take up any more space. It may feel like you’re in a war against your mind, but you can co-exist.
