Stop Overthinking! Don’t go ahead of yourself! These are a few of the many statements we hear. The brain processes about 75000 thoughts, for a single day; maybe more in these uncertain times. Whereas normally it is less than 50 thoughts per minute. I leave you to do the Math… The answer is alarming, right?
So how do we stop over-thinking, you ask? There are certain ways to stop overthinking, you just need to commit to yourself to put it into practice, consciously.
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The Basics of Overthinking you should know
Over-thinking takes form when you chew over the past actions, or you predict the future. Predicting the future actions of others and our probable reactions to it is the seed to over-thinking. Likewise. analyzing and over-analyzing other’s responses to your actions and vice-versa. Read on to know more on How to stop over-thinking become your timewaster?
First things First. How are you sure that you are over thinking? Right? You could be just reflecting on your behavior and /or responses of other folks in the situation! Here are a few of the common signposts for you to look out for. If you can relate to any one of them, you should be working on how to stop overthinking.
1. Catch yourself asking “What if…?”
stop overthinking
Predicting a future which is not in your control. If you are stepping on the gas asking what if this happens? What if I am not asked for a date? What if I say ‘No’…? Stop the thought at once.
2. Reading between the lines
If there’s something told to you or an event happens to you, just take it as it is told to you. Do not attempt to create your perception of the whole deal. Take it as it is supposed to be taken. Many times, it leads to overthinking and disrupts the flow of positive thoughts on people and events.
3. Replaying the events that were not agreeable
Do you keep talking about events of the past which were distasteful memories? Do you keep playing the run-up to the incident and how you could have responded differently? Your tendency to keep playing the events on a loop in your mind or even talk about is a red flag to overthinking!
How to Stop Overthinking
Now that you are aware that overthinking is an acquired habit. It can be uprooted from your system by a few strategies that you must follow without giving up.
1. Distract your thoughts
Make distraction a discipline. That will drive your thoughts. Thoughts are like sailing in an ocean. The rudder of guiding the thoughts should never be left alone. Especially in a storm of thoughts. Always hold your thoughts together. If you catch yourself amidst a not so cheerful thought, distract yourself to a cheerful thought immediately. Be aware that the first few times will need an effort but trust yourself that you will get there. Over time, you will find yourself free of stress and anxiety.
2. Fear-the trunk that branches out to overthinking
The very root cause of overthinking is the fear of unwanted happenings in our life. If you are in a relationship, the fear of what if you do or say a thing. What if it misfires on you, and then one thought leads to another. It is OK if you arrive at such thoughts and thought processes. Just remember not to build your home in them. Change the words one by one to a more cheerful and accepting thought.
For instance, if you think disciplining your toddler will lead to you being abandoned as a mother later in life, wipe the thought-slate clean and rewrite that it is for the best of your toddler that you need to discipline your child. Let unreasonable fear not overwhelm you.
3. Be in the Present moment
If you want to know how to stop overthinking, then I suggest you read these words an umpteen time. ‘Be in the Present moment’. Focus on the work in hand. Feel the breeze when you go for your walk or a drive. Breathe…Breathe! Right. Do not exist like the non-living thing. Get stock of yourself. Get trained for meditation. Alternatively, you can sign up for our guided meditation on the EvolveApp.
4. Realization and Acceptance
The sooner you realize the better for you and your mental wellness. The past is done with. No matter how much ever we would want it to be different the event is done and dusted. The responses you gave and received cannot be rewound and expressed the way you wanted to. Accept that realization and you will make a headway to stop overthinking! Similarly, the less you predict other’s responses, the better you will focus on yourself.
5. Write a Journal or talk to a friend
Take it off your mind! Whatever the recording, which is on a loop, jot it in a journal. The inability to express it, the fear of distrust makes you bottle up thoughts. Writing it in a journal helps you look at it in a wider perspective when you read what you have written. Talking to a trusted friend too can get you into a perspective and share the fears and the what ifs with the person.
6. Breathing in a pattern
Most of the time we are not aware that we are breathing. It is so mechanical. It is on auto-pilot because our thoughts are more focused on our what ifs, till we get stressed and breathe in gasps.
One age-old strategy to calm our racing thoughts and stop overthinking is the Breathing Pattern. It is to inhale air through your nostrils as much and quickly as possible to a count of 4. Next hold the air to a count of 6 and breathe out the air with your mouth closed to a account of 8. You can miss a count or two. The purpose is to keep you in the moment and focused on one single thought.
7. Parting Thoughts
Overthinking makes you feel negative about all that happened or will happen and about how you are in the situation. Unlike introspection, by over-thinking you do not arrive at solutions. Nor does overthinking, unlike retrospection, help you correct and prevent distasteful responses. If you are at your wits’ end about how to stop overthinking, adapting and being committed to strategies mentioned will help overcome this habit and free you of anxiety and stress.
About Us: Evolve strives to make mental wellness a priority. Download the EvolveApp and practice the ‘journeys’ to an anxiety-free lifestyle. It helps to make a de-stressed lifestyle a habit. EvolveApp is judged the best app of 2021.
You might like to read on: #10 Sure Benefits Of You Being Self-disciplined-Proven!
From sharing her views on blogs in MoTA to being a blogger in it, Lakshmi Srinath has been writing her thoughts since 2010. Thanks to a persuasive face-reader, she took Content writing on to a next level since August 2021 with a certification in the same, from Henry Harvin Education, India. When she is not among her thoughts and words writing content, you will find her pursuing her hobby in art or gardening or just gossiping the latest on insta, with her daughter. She staunchly believes that mental wellness leads to physical wellness. Lakshmi lives in Pune, India with her daughter and husband.
