How To Actually Stop Overthinking
We have thousands of thoughts every single day.
Our minds are in a constant state of generating ideas, thoughts, worries and what-ifs.
And if you’re an over-thinker, you know how it goes...
You worry about the future. You ruminate about the past.
You get anxious about simple thoughts. You get stressed about what other people might be thinking of you.
Negativity builds up in your mind. You get crippled by your thoughts and they can spiral out of control.
Your brain just doesn’t turn off. It can exhaust you mentally, induce anxiety and affect your physical health as well. It can really stop you from progressing in your life.
Overthinking is rooted in uncertainty, and it can often be a byproduct of anxiety or depression.
Overthinking is the art of creating problems that don’t actually exist.
In this article I'll explain why we overthink and then I'll talk about 5 simple strategies you can put in place to help overcome it.
When I was first moving to London for university, the experience was overwhelming. Moving away from home for the first time. The big city.
The thought of navigating life in a metropolis like London felt like diving into the unknown. Meeting new flatmates added another layer of worry to the equation.
The academic pressures on top of that too. It was a daunting time and as I stepped foot in this new environment, overthinking took hold of my mind.
At the time every decision seemed monumental, every interaction scrutinised, every potential outcome overanalysed.
Overthinking became the norm, it dominated my mind and overshadowed what should have been an exciting time in my life.
It was as if my brain was in overdrive, unable to switch off the endless stream of thoughts and worries that flooded my mind.
So where does overthinking come from?
Overthinking is quite complicated and usually comes from a combination of psychological, emotional and situational factors.
It involves the prefrontal cortex, a region in your brain responsible for decision-making and problem-solving, and the amygdala, which processes emotions and triggers the "fight or flight" response.
Perfectionism has a role in overthinking because it drives constant analysis and self-criticism. You might constantly analyse your actions and decisions to avoid making mistakes.
If you’re anxious you might be prone to overthinking because anxiety is basically a state of anticipation about perceived future threats.
It might also come from past traumas or negative experiences and the overthinking can be a mechanism to avoiding similar situations in the future.
On top of this, the fear of failure or rejection can lead to overthinking situations and second-guessing decisions, because this minimises the risk of disappointment.
Ok so let’s go into the 5 strategies you can use to help stop you overthinking.
1. Self-awareness.
This is the cornerstone of overcoming it. We have to become aware of when it's happening.
This means tuning into our thoughts and emotions, noticing when they start to spiral, and acknowledging the patterns of overthinking.
When you’re self-aware, it allows you to step back and observe your thoughts from a more objective standpoint.
Instead of being swept away by our inner chatter, we can become active participants in our thought processes. By developing this level of awareness, you can gain the power to intervene when overthinking begins to take hold.
So, how do we develop self-awareness? It starts with regular check-ins with ourselves.
Take a moment each day to pause and reflect on your thoughts and emotions. Notice any recurring themes or triggers that may lead to overthinking. Journaling can also be a helpful tool for increasing self-awareness.
It can help you to explore your thoughts and feelings in a structured way.
Take a notepad. Write down your thoughts and see if you can notice any triggers to overthinking. Identifying triggers might help but you won’t know about them if you’re not self aware.
2. Meditation.
This can really help to slow down your mind.
I’ve done a video on this so watch that if you want to learn more about why I started meditating.
Meditation serves as a tool that can help calm the constant chatter in your mind. Instead of fearing your thoughts, you just let them exist without resistance.
For me, meditation kind of acts like a bridge, guiding us away from overthinking and into a simpler state of existence. If you connect well to your authentic self through meditation, you can achieve a state of clarity which can help to minimise overthinking.
During meditation, it's really important to acknowledge any thoughts that arise without judging them. Just observe them and then gently guide your focus back to the present moment, I do this by focusing on the breath.
At the start you might find that your mind is filled with thoughts more often than not.
But with consistent practice, you'll notice a shift as your mind becomes more comfortable with being in the present moment rather than constantly engaged in a cycle of thinking and worrying about things.
3. Embrace the unknown.
Uncertainty makes us feel vulnerable and so we try and escape it any way that we can.
There’s a quote I like from Tony Robbins where he says that “The quality of your life is in direct proportion to the amount of uncertainty you can comfortably deal with.”
And I agree because this rings true with me. I find that when I’m working 13 hour night shifts at the hospital for example, things can change in an instant.
There are countless unknowns lurking around every corner. Lots of sick patients and so many different emergencies we have to deal with, often without any warning.
Sometimes all you hear is the sound of the emergency buzzer and there’s a sudden rush to reach the patient.
You sometimes don’t even have time to think, you don’t even know who the patient is or what their story is as to why they’re in hospital, you rush over and they’re unresponsive.
And you have to manage the situation as best you can. It’s just so unpredictable at times.
Instead of letting worry and overthinking consume me, I've learned to focus on what I can control. It's a mindset shift that has made my shifts more manageable and enjoyable.
Accepting that life is just filled with uncertainties is a really important step. There are no guarantees when we take a step into the unknown.
It’s uncomfortable but those are the situations that lead to the most growth.
And while structure and planning is important, being too rigid can reduce our ability to adapt during uncertain times.
So, be flexible. Try to accept uncertainty. Control what you can control.
4. Gratitude.
Gratitude has this amazing ability to ground your thinking. It shifts your focus from what's lacking to what's already present in your life.
And that shift can be transformative. A simple gratitude practice is all it takes.
Just take a few moments each day to jot down a couple of things you're grateful for. It could literately be anything – from living in a warm house to a seeing a friend that day.
I’ve made it a habit to write down three things I'm grateful for every morning. It's a small gesture, takes like 30 seconds but it sets the tone for my day.
Gratitude can really help if you’re an over thinker because if we focus on what we’re grateful for, it disconnects us from negative emotions and the over-thinking that comes with worrying about stuff.
It shifts the negative thoughts towards positive ones, which can help to increase your mental wellbeing as well.
Give it a try.
5. Accept failure.
Now, fear of failure and overthinking are inseparable, they’re like two sides of the same coin. Add in procrastination and you probably will be overthinking every possible scenario, paralysing yourself with the anticipation of what could go wrong.
This cycle of fear and overthinking and procrastination is like a trifecta of misery.
It’s a really destructive pattern. But when you learn to accept failure, your development will massively improve.
Failure is an inevitable part of any journey. I’ve failed so many times I’ve lost count.
At school I flunked exams.
I failed my driving test first time.
At the gym I've set fitness goals and fallen short.
In business I've faced rejection and setbacks.
At cooking I've burnt meals and created terrible dishes.
But with time, I've realised that failure is an opportunity to learn and grow.
Instead of fearing it, we should see failure as a natural part of life. Messing up and failing is not the end. It's just a stepping stone towards growth. So if we reframe our perspective, we can cultivate a more resilient mindset.
Accept failure. Silence your doubts. It can really help.
A quote from a great
Strive and prosper,
Z
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