I think and think and think, I've thought myself out of happiness one million times, but never once into it. My nights were for overthinking and my mornings were for oversleeping.
There is nothing in this world that can trouble you more than your own thoughts. By overthinking, you are only creating problems that were not there in the first place. Chronic overthinkers rehash conversations they had yesterday, second guess every decision they make and imagine disastrous outcomes all day everyday. Thinking too much prevents you from getting anything done and it wreaks havoc on your mood.
Overthinking often involves two destructive thought patterns.
Ruminating or dwelling on the past. " I should have stayed at my last job. I would be happier than I am now" or " I wish I would have learned to be more self confident. My insecurities have always held me back".
Persistent Worrying or negative predictions about the future. "I am going to embarrass myself tomorrow when it's my turn to give my presentation. I know I'm going to forget everything I'm supposed to say".
Overthinking can trap the brain in a worry cycle.
Ruminating becomes as natural as breathing, you need to quickly deal with it and find a solution to it. That can set the stage for a ruminator to work themselves into a downward spiral
How to defeat this pattern of thinking and win your life back
Notice when you're stuck in your head. Overthinking can become such a habit that you don't even recognize when you're doing it. Practice paying attention. Always be mindful of what you are thinking about. When you overthink past or future events, acknowledge that your thoughts aren't productive. Thinking is only helpful when it leads to positive actions.
Keep your focus on problem solving. If the problem is something that you have some control over, consider how you can prevent the problem or challenge yourself to identify 5 possible solutions. If the problem is something that you have no control over, think about the strategies you can use to cope with it. Focus on the things that you can control, like your attitude and effort.
Challenge your thoughts Remember that your emotions will interfere with your ability to look at situations objectively. Take a step back and look at the evidence. What evidence do you have that your thoughts are true? What evidence do you have that your thoughts aren't true?
Schedule time for reflection Incorporate 20 minutes of "thinking time" into your daily schedule. During this time period, let yourself worry, ruminate, or mull over whatever you want. When your time is up, move on to something else. When you start overthinking things outside of your scheduled Thinking Time, simply remind yourself that you will have to wait until your Thinking Time to address those things in your mind.
Learn Mindfulness Skills It's impossible to rehash yesterday or worry about tomorrow when you're living in the present. Mindfulness will help you become more aware of the here and now.
Challenge the thought Telling yourself to stop thinking about something will backfire. Change The Channel in your brain by changing your activity. Exercise, engage in conversation on a whole different subject or work on a project that distracts you.
The dangers of overthinking include increasing your chances of mental illness, interfering with day to day problem solving, and it disturbs your sleep patterns as well. You will never be free until you are free from your own false thoughts. I pray that you quit overthinking, replaying failed scenarios, feeding self doubt, and seeing the good in everyone but yourself. You deserve better. Now Is Not The Time To Overthink, Now Is The Time To Overcome.
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