How to Stop Overthinking
By Julie Parmax
Lets be honest, we all overthink. Constantly bombarded by social media, work, relationships and the news, thoughts run in and out of our minds like shooting stars. The mind never turns off. Even in our sleep state our subconscious mind is running at a rate we sometimes cannot even witness or comprehend.
We are also inquisitive creatures, always needing answers to our questions. Google is our friend (or enemy at times) because we believe the answers we seek are on the world wide web, waiting to be clicked on to sooth our anxiety.
What we are missing is simple; trust, patience and silence. Wanting to always know what will happen next detaches us from the now and pushes us further away from mindfulness living. We have lost patience to accept that the answers we are so desperately seeking will come in due time.
We are exactly where we are meant to be right in this moment in time. If we can trust in that the Universe has our back and that we need to let go from outcomes, we might find the silence we so desperately need and seek.
Here are three easy steps to stop you from overthinking:
Accept the Past and Let Go
Give yourself permission to let go of any past mistakes or hurts. When you witness yourself delving into the past and rehashing old wounds, close your eyes and picture yourself cutting an invisible cord to your past memories. Take three deep breaths in and let go. Keep practicing this every time you catch yourself rethinking about what was and what could have been.
Don’t Worry About the Things that Haven’t Happened
No one knows what the future holds so stop trying to figure it out. All you are doing is causing your body to go through unnecessary stress and anxiety for something that might not even come to light. You and I both know that, what we think will happen never does anyway.
So stay in the present. It is as simple as that! As soon as you catch yourself trying to make up scenarios about a future that doesn’t exist, I want you to stop and name everything you see around you in 1 minute. For instance if you are walking and your mind wanders, then say out loud or silently, what you see. For example; tree, house, flower, pink roof, spotted dog etc. Do this for one minute. This will ease you back into the present and you will probably forget what you were thinking about in the first place.
Write it Down
This is my favourite thing to do every morning after I meditate. I write it all down. Anything and everything. All the junk and emotions I have accumulated in my head. All of it….dump it onto paper. It is the cheapest therapy you will ever get and it works. When you mind dump you don’t carry all those thoughts around with you all day. I write 3 pages of whatever is swimming in my mind and then I end it with three things I am grateful for.
Do this every day and I can guarantee you, you will feel calmer and more free than ever before.
I dare you to try it!