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Our mind is much busier then us, it keeps working even when we take rest and there are many small or big things which makes it very special. But even special things have limits too. Sometimes we make over and unnecessary use of it which we call by the name of overthinking, makes us full of stress and tension. Overthinking can take many forms: endlessly deliberating when making a decision (and then questioning the decision), attempting to read minds, trying to predict the future, reading into the smallest of details, etc.

 

“There are people who have levels of overthinking that are just pathological, But the average person also just tends to overthink things.” says clinical psychologist Catherine Pittman, an associate professor in the psychology department at Saint Mary’s College in Notre Dame, Indiana.

We have all been bestowed with a brain which, for the most part, is a wondrous creation which enables us to process information, think through our options, and determine how to proceed.

However, at times our mind can seem like our own worst enemy. When we find ourselves overthinking an issue, with our thoughts returning again and again to a past situation or future scenario, we’re likely to needlessly wear ourselves out.
Let’s take a short look at Its proper definition for better understanding of the topic.

What is overthinking!

The thought process is an integral part of our brain. But, it becomes an issue when we are a victim of overthinking. Overthinking is a process of repeatedly thinking about any incident, relationship, a person or an incident owing to the fact that it brought a drastic change in life for a long period of time. Psychologists strongly believe that over-thinking is a cause for demotivation, anxiety, stress, and depression.

Why do I Overthink?

Before going to the ways to stop it you must ask yourself a question- why do I overthink? and then try to find out it’s solution, this will help you to short out your problem in an easy and effective way. Not only with the problem of overthinking but this indefectible formula is applicable in each and every, small and big problems of your life– first ask question with yourself and then try to find out its solution. And even if you have any difficulty in doing so then we are always here to help you with the same.

How do I stop Overthinking!

Now we are in state of going towards our tips to become a simpler and smarter thinker and to live a happier and less fearful life. So let’s take a look.

1. Live in the moment.

Living in the moment is key to learning how to stop overthinking. Most people can’t just flip a switch and live in the moment. You can take control of your mind and stop negative emotions in their tracks. Identify overthinking before it spirals out of control and take a minute to reset. Breathe and focus on the moment – what are you hearing and seeing? What are you grateful for? At first, it will take conscious awareness. Daily rituals like meditation and priming can help you retrain your brain to live in the moment. Soon you’ll find it comes naturally.

2. Control your emotions.

Living in the moment doesn’t mean you should bury your negative emotions. In order to master your emotions, you need to acknowledge them and identify their root causes. When you’re feeling anxious, dig deeper. It’s often about facing your larger fears, such as not feeling in control of your life or not progressing in a way you’d like to be. Become aware of the root causes of your overthinking and you can start making progress to stop it before it starts.

3. Set short time-limits for decisions.

If you do not have a time-limit for when you must make a decision and take action then you can just keep turning your thoughts around and around and view them from all angles in your mind for a very long time.
So learn to become better at making decisions and to spring into action by setting deadlines in your daily life. No matter if it’s a small or bigger decision.

4. Do Yoga.

Yoga is the best medicine ever for any mental or physical problem. Practicing of Yoga daily helps you to overcome the problem of overthinking. It let your mind to go in the state of deep silence and peace which keeps the mind active & healthy and helps you to make faster decisions. Not only for this but one should must do Yoga for better and healthy life, so add it to your daily routine.

5. Focus on solution.

Identify your problems, and give your power and energy to solutions. You’ve identified the real reasons for your stress and anxiety, but your work isn’t done. The only way to learn how to stop overthinking for good is to take charge of your life. If your overthinking is caused by stress at work, rethink your career path. If you’re not where you want to be in life, set goals for yourself so that you can get there. If you feel like life is out of your control, make a decision today to get back behind the wheel. These are big moves, and they take guts.

Remember: No one controls your reality but you – don’t you want your life to be extraordinary?

6. Count the cost.

Recognize that your overthinking is doing you more harm than good. Sometimes we believe that if we just ponder a problem for long enough, we’ll be able to figure out a solution. However, there comes a point when our repetitive analyzing can befuddle us, wreak havoc with our sleep (which can impair our thinking), get in the way of our creativity, interfere with our noticing and appreciating the present (leading to our later regret of having missed out on important details), and drain our energy, any of which can cause paralysis.

Other results of overthinking can include: isolating ourselves from people and situations we fear may make us uncomfortable, using alcohol, drugs, or overeating to numb our feelings or stop our incessant thoughts. It’s not worth it.

7. Ask yourself the right question.

Asking yourself the wrong questions over and over – won’t help you identify what’s really going on in your thoughts or your life. They’ll only facilitate more overthinking. Focus on solution-oriented questions that are proactive rather than those that trigger rumination. Instead of asking “Why do all my relationships turn sour?” ask “What energy am I projecting that attracts negative partners?” When you ask questions that allow you to make changes to your own behavior and move forward in a healthier manner, you can reduce overthinking and improve your life.

8. Become a person of action.

When you know how to get started with taking action consistently each day then you’ll procrastinate less by overthinking. Setting deadlines and a good tone for the day are two things that can help to become much more of person of action.

Taking small steps forward and only focusing on getting one small step done at a time is another habit that have worked really well. It works so well because you do not feel overwhelmed and so you do not want flee into procrastination or lazy inaction. And even though you may be afraid, taking just a step is such a small thing that you do not get paralyzed in fear.

9. Let go of the past.

Overthinkers often focus on the past, expending energy on “what ifs” and “should haves.” Those who understand how to stop overthinking know that the past is just that. It can’t be changed. The only thing you can change is the meaning you give to it. Letting go of the past means you don’t let your mistakes control your future decisions – and you don’t let bad things that have been done to you control your emotions. You forgive others and let go of your anger. It’s one of the most significant ways you can change your story.

10. Keep right company.

Your social environment plays a big part. It’s the human nature to adopt someone’s habit easily- not only habit but a bad one. Therefore, be with the person from whom you can learn good and beneficial things instead of a bad one.
Keep company with people who don’t overthink things. It’s been said that we become like the five people with whom we spend the most time. Who are these people in your life? Do you want to “catch” their attitudes? Because attitudes are indeed contagious.

And not just the people and groups close to you in real life. But also what you read, listen to and watch. The blogs, books, forums, movies, podcasts and music in your life. So think about if there are any sources in your life – close by or further away – that encourages and tends create more overthinking in your mind. And think about what people or sources that has the opposite effect on you.

11. Realize that you cannot control everything.

Trying to think things through 50 times can be a way to try to control everything. To cover every eventuality so you don’t risk making a mistake, fail or looking like a fool.
But those things are a part of living a life where you truly stretch your comfort zone. Everyone who you may admire and have lived a life that inspires you has failed. They have made mistakes.
But in most cases they’ve also seen these things as valuable feedback to learn from.
Those things that may look negative have taught them a lot and have been invaluable to help them to grow.
So stop trying to control everything. Trying to do so simply doesn’t work because no one can see all possible scenarios in advance.
This is of course easier said than done. So do it in small steps if you like.

12. Avoid Social Media.

Over-thinking, generally, is associated with a particular person or event. Hence, it is important that we avoid social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter, and apps like Instagram and WhatsApp on Phone. Stick mostly to SMS and Calls. This helps in eliminating negative thoughts from the mind.

13. Give Time for Reflection.

Every day build a habit of writing what went well and what could have gone better. This is the reflective practice that keeps us on the track on continuous improvement. Hence, you are on the path of developing your weaknesses and keeping up the strengths that shape you into an individual on the path of excellence.

14. Physical Exercise.

Getting yourself involved in exercises, yoga, meditation, dance, gymnastics, etc. develop better mental-physical coordination. It keeps you in good health. Physical exercise boosts your cognitive power and also helps you get tired and exhausted physically to get a good sleep. This helps mainly to avoid insomnia that develops due to over thinking.

The matter is that you might revert to overthinking – ruminating over and again. The above tips would help you, but if you want to completely overcome this habit, you will need to go one step further. You will need to learn to focus and calm down your mind, so that you can easily prevent it from revolving around the same thoughts over and again.

Practicing concentration exercises enables you to control your thoughts and focus your mind on what you want to think, not on restless thinking and ruminating.

 

Don’t get too deep, it leads to over thinking, and over thinking leads to problems that doesn’t even exist in the first place.”– Jayson Engay