Overthinking is one of the most common things that lead to us feeling bad about something. When we have time to overthink things, it can really be a recipe for disaster. In America, it is said that as much as seventy-three percent of 25- to 35-year-olds overthink, as well as 52 percent of 45- to 55-year-olds. So you can see that it is a BIG problem.
Continuous (negative) overthinking can lead to mental health issues, like depression or anxiety if not regulated. This article will give you 7 strategies to help you to stop overthinking and start living every day like it‘s golden.
7 Steps to Stop Overthinking
- Rewrite the story that plays out in your head every single day. We often think about the same old things and we let these drag us down and paralyze us into going over old ground. You get to decide which things take up space in your brain and don’t let negative thoughts of yourself live in your head rent free. Think positively about yourself and start to act like the Queen you are.
- Let go of things from your past. Forgive people who have hurt you and forgive yourself for things that you are still beating yourself up about. You must let it all go if you want to stop overthinking permanently.
- Be still and be present. Live in the here and now and enjoy every moment. If you are living in the now and are conscious of your thoughts, there’s no room for any overthinking. Focus on now and enjoy your day.
- Focus on the things that you can control. There is a lot that you can control so that you will feel less anxious like when you wake up, what you eat, how m uch exercise you take, who you interact with etc. etc. Focus on the things you can control and don’t worry about other people stopping your flow.
- Write your fears down on a piece of paper. Identifying your fears will help you to come up with strategies to mitigate against them, or minimise the impact, should any of your fears come true. We often bring into reality what we focus on so don’t think about the things that scare you (things that probably may never happen) and focus on the things and people that you love.
- Take action towards your goals. When you are moving towards your goals and are crystal clear about what you want to accomplish, you are so consumed with the achievement part that you seldom have time to think about anything else. Good things happen when you start to think positively as you move towards your goals on a consistent basis.
- Learn to think positively always. There are people who refuse to think negatively, try to be one of those people. It is easy to let negative thoughts creep into your mind but banish them immediately and replace all negative thoughts with positive ones. Thinking positively is a conscious act that you must try to do. All types of people will try to get you to think negatively like them but, you must resist. Develop your own positive mantra’s and follow your own positive path. The real defence against overthinking is thinking positively.
Use these 7 steps to stop overthinking in its tracks and start to experience more positive days. It all starts with how you think from the moment you wake up. Develop a morning routine and make thinking positively part of this. You could use affirmations, bible verses or poetry; whatever you choose to fill your mind with positive thoughts.
Do this for 30 days and keep a journal as you do. We have a range of journals available that will help to keep you on track.
