I'm definitely not perfect and I have times where I fall into the pattern of overthinking when I'm going through something that is difficult (ex. News with my medical condition that is challenging) and making some decisions. In my experience, I've found there are 3 things I can do to shake this habit off. Here they are:
1. Pay attention to when you're stuck in your head.
Overthinking can become such a habit that you don’t even realize when you’re doing it. You need to learn to be more aware to the way you think and when it's happening so you can stay on top of the problem.
Any time you find yourself doubting or feeling stressed or anxious, step back and self evaluate. Look at the situation and how you're responding, then take a moment to validate how you feel in that moment. Take a breath then let go of all of the things you are stressing about as you let your breath out.
2. Train Your Brain
Paying attention to the way you think can help you become more aware. With practice, you can train your brain to think differently.
It's always easy to make things bigger and more negative than they need to be. The next time you catch yourself hitting the panic button or making things bigger than they are, stop and ask yourself how much it will matter in a year or a month from now.
Or, stop and think, "Will worrying change anything?"
Worrying over something you can't change isn't going to help you and it won't change anything.
3. Learn Mindfulness Skills
It’s impossible to rehash the past, or worry about things you can't change when you’re living in the present. Mindfulness will help you become more aware of the here and now.
Mindfulness takes practice, but over time, it can decrease overthinking.
Here are a few amazing books about mindfulness that I recommend.
The Mind-Gut Connection
By:Emeran Mayer
Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art
By:James Nestor
I share these tips with you so that you can stop overthinking. If you're really hones with yourself, what do you truly desire for yourself? Feel free to share with me. Im all ears!
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