Overthinking is one of the biggest causes of unhappiness. Overthinking can create problems that weren’t even there or may not even happen in the first place. Most of the problems or situations we conjure up in our mind are fear and worry based and do not aid us – although we think that by overthinking we are helping or protecting ourselves in some way. What we are really doing is robbing ourselves of this gift in this very moment.
Once we get started, it’s hard to stop overthinking.
Here are 5 Ways to Stop Overthinking:
1. Stop and focus on the positive things going on right now.
We have become a society that allows overthinking and negative thinking to prevail. By simply shifting your focus to what makes you happy, or what you’re thankful for, you can start to retrain your mind to think more positively. Remember: It only takes one brick at a time to build a home…
Consequently, you will start to feel more peaceful and stop overthinking, since you no longer put so much emphasis on the negativity you perceive within yourself and elsewhere.
Remember, energy flows where attention goes – you can stop overthinking by creating awareness behind your thoughts.
2. Repeat peaceful words to yourself throughout your day.
Pay attention to your brain at this very moment…what kinds of thoughts do you observe?
Most likely, you will notice that the majority of your overthinking centers around what you have to do today, or what someone said that made you angry, or even degrading thoughts about yourself. Don’t feel bad, though; with so much negativity around us, maintaining a consistent positive mindset isn’t always easy. However, you can actually counter the negative, stress-inducing thoughts with simple, peaceful words.
Anytime you feel a bout of anxiety coming on, introduce calming words into your awareness, such as the following: Tranquil. Calm. Peaceful. Serenity. Light. Love. Relaxing. Breeze. Beach. The last two words in the sequence describe scenery, which you can do as well if it makes you feel peaceful. Words carry a lot of meaning and power, so use them to your advantage whenever you feel stressed out.
3. Meditate on a regular basis.
We suggest meditation a whole lot on our website, but for good reason. When you meditate, you stop the flow of thoughts bombarding your consciousness every second, and instead move into a space where stillness takes precedence. While you don’t have to turn off your brain to meditate, many people feel that their thoughts slow down incredibly, and they can observe themselves much easier with controlled breaths and closed eyes. Meditation simply brings awareness into the body and makes it much easier to cope with daily challenges.
If you want to cultivate more peace in your mind and life, start meditating, or sitting quietly focusing on nothing but your breath for at least ten minutes a day on a daily basis. You will find that adopting a more peaceful mindset becomes much more attainable.
4. Live in the here and now.
Forget overthinking about the errands you have to run tomorrow after work, or the bills you have to pay next week, or the uncertainty of your future that you haven’t even gotten to yet. When you let thoughts like these ruminate, it can cause great dis-ease within the body, and even lead to anxiety, depression, chronic stress, and other serious problems. Most anxiety is caused by simply living in a time other than the one we have right now, so bring yourself back to the present whenever you feel your thoughts taking you elsewhere.
By allowing yourself to flow from one moment to the next, just as you did as a child, you will recapture what it means to feel true peace.
5. Get out in Nature.
Nature is the perfect way to quiet a busy mind. You could do this on a weekend or on your lunch break in a nearby park. If you’re really stressed out, considering going on a vacation somewhere beautiful and away from everything.
Anything you can do to strengthen your bond with nature will greatly benefit your mind, and help you remember that we create most stress we feel in our mind and body. We originated in a place of pure harmony, and most of what we see around us is just a very persistent illusion. Remember that nature doesn’t struggle through life, and you don’t have to, either. Don’t get too caught up with the trivial matters of the material world, because you won’t find peace in numbers or possessions.
Truthfully, peace resides within your heart already, but Mother Earth can help you remember this by providing solace from the strains of modern society.
“There’s no Wi-Fi in the forest, but I promise you will find a better connection.”
Do you have any tips to add to the list? Join us on Facebook to discuss the topic of overthinking.
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