How To (Finally) Stop Overthinking!
Do you tend to overanalyze until you don’t know which way is up? Have the voices in your head started to make you dizzy with worst case scenarios, what ifs, and second guesses? Introspection is an important and necessary part of our lives. We all need to take a moment now and then to consider our thoughts and digest information. We need to weigh the pros and cons of a situation and be able to think critically about issues and make decisions. Sometimes, though, spending too much time in our own heads can cause us to go around in circles unproductively.
If you are feeling overwhelmed, try these tips to tune out of your head and into your heart, bringing you from indecision to clarity:
Give It a Rest
The brain is an amazing organ and a wonderful tool, but even it gets tired. When things start going around in circles, it’s time to give your thoughts a break. Try to give yourself some distance from the situation by engaging in another activity. Doing something physical is a great way to get you back to the present moment. Run, walk, swim, lift weights, let another part of your body get some exercise while your brain takes a much needed rest. When you do finally come back to the problem, you will come refreshed.
Define Your Mission
Companies make mission statements based on the things they aspire to and the values that they hold. What would your mission statement be? Make a list of the things that are most important to you. What are your most treasured values? How do you want to be remembered in the world? Tune into those things and see if the thoughts you are having fit into those values.
Talk to Others
At the end of the day the choice is yours, but being open to other perspectives can add some much needed distance. It also reminds us that we’re not in it alone. Whatever it is we might be going through, our friends and family are willing and often eager to lend an ear. They may even have some helpful advice to share.
Get Out of Your Head
Speak your thoughts out loud, or better yet write them down. Sometimes the simple act of hearing your thoughts or reading them on paper can give you a better grasp and a crisp perspective. It can also help you decide which thoughts are real and which might be based on fear or influenced by what others might think. Take a look at the mission statement you just made and ask yourself, “Which thoughts serve my mission? Which path upholds my values?”
“Follow your gut” is the popular saying, but what it really means is that while intellectual ruminations can help, there is a deeper instinctual nature within ourselves that causes us to act. It is a balance of these two things, heart and mind, that allows us to continue on our journey. Let your thoughts be like a good navigator, but keep your heart in the driver’s seat.