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Overthinking is your friend.
We see overthinking as being self-centered, being stubborn, and even thinking you deserve to be happy. But is overthinking really a bad thing? Overthinking is normal. It happens to everyone. The problem is that most of us want to escape from life’s stresses by overthinking. We want to think about what might have been or what might have gone wrong instead of focusing on what’s gone right.
You are the best thing that ever happened to me.
We view this as being overly confident and strong. But are actually a lot less confident and strong than we ever were. We’re actually more likely to break the habits we have developed over time when we believe we have the power to change course and make a difference.
Why do people overthink?
We often think about the things we can control, like what we put in our brain, or what we’re good at. While there are things we can control, like our diet or the weather, there are things we can’t control, like what’s in our brain. Overthinking canfeel bad and disturbed, like a jam packed third world country in which every emotion has been stuffed into a single and big brain. It can also feel good, like you’ve just gone through some really trying times and you’re finally starting to feel normal again.
The secret to mental clarity is practice
We all have that rare thing called ‘feeling like myself’. This is when you feel like you’re onto something real, that you know something about, and that you’re actually invested in something. It’s what we call ‘overthinking’. Overthinking is actually a good thing. It teaches us that we can’t control what happens, that we can’t please everyone, and that we can’t be satisfied with anything. It also gives us the confidence to say ‘no’ to things that we’re too shy to say ‘yes’ to.
Just breathe and relax.
You’ve probably heard this one before. ‘Breathe in, think about what you want to happen, and out come the words.’ Sounds simple, right? Well, it’s not easy, and if you’re spending your time worrying about what happened or what’s gone wrong, you may not be breathing in the right way. Breathing in lets you release tension,Picture: Instagram/sali rozmerz Think about what you’re trying to accomplish in your life. Breathe out if there’s anything on your mind that you need to get out of. It also relaxes you, which can help with digestion and also helps with focus.
Overthinking means nothing but stress.
We all have this insatiable ‘overthinking’ urge. We’re just like a car who has been sitting in traffic for hours and is about ready to explode from overthinking. ‘I need to accelerate’ we say, ‘I need to reach my destination and take the exit that will take me there!’ We’re actually overthinking things more than we’re underthinking them. It’s like we’re trying to prove to ourselves that we’re right, that we’re capable, and that we deserve to be happy. So when it comes time to put in the work, we will actually be glad that we didn’t stress ourselves out too much.
Make space for thought, even if you feel overthinking.
When we overthink, we’re actually filled with Self- resentment. We’re always fighting a battle with ourselves because when we’re thinking about what could have been or what might have gone wrong, we’re actually feeling resentment against this life that we live. So, instead of being reactive, we try and fix the issues that we’re really feeling. We might start by saying ‘I know I should be grateful for this or that’ or ‘I know I should be patient’. And then we can sit and watch the traffic.
Take some time out and just relax before moving forward.
When we’re overthinking things, we’re probably just overthinking the future as well. We’re trying to predict the future and what might come to pass. So, instead of worrying about the past, we can just relax and take a break from everything. The more relaxed you are, the easier it will be to relax into the present moment.
Conclusion
Overthinking is a normal, human experience. It happens to everyone and it’s okay because it’s just practice. It’s even fun when you do it wrong and it doesn’t feel so good!
