Thoughts have become such an integral part of our lives that they occupy all our days and nights. Thinking just comes so normally to us that we start to believe that we and our thoughts are the same. The barrier between who we truly are and our thoughts diminishes when our mind goes on autopilot and starts to analyze everything around us which we call overthinking.
Sometimes we try to forget about the things that are bothering us by spending time on social media, watching the news, or complaining but end up being the victim of overthinking. It seems like the mind has its own mind to do things in its own way. So what to do? How do we stop overthinking? How to get out of our heads?
Before we dive into solutions, it is necessary to know the causes of overthinking.
Why do we overthink?
- There can be various reasons behind overthinking but the most common are
- Lack of sleep
- Over reading
- Dehydration
- Multitasking.
- Rushing or trying to avoid the present moment.
- Triggers from your environment like your boss or when things are not in their right place.
- Resistance to how you feel,
- Overuse of social media
- Constant use of Earphones etc.
How to stop overthinking
1. Becoming silent watcher
Don’t brush it off, the more you try to ignore or forget the situation, the more the mind will remind you of it. It will chase you down until you find something else to worry about. The way out is to sit down and tend to your inner state of being. Go within your body and ask yourself How do I feel right now? From there, let your awareness guide you. Don’t judge or question it, just be present with whatever comes in. Let the thoughts and emotions go wild and be there as still Awareness. Watch them as a silent watcher, the rise and fall of your thoughts and emotions. Relax your body down and let it feel all the emotions that it desires, let the mind talk. Hold no judgment. Complete acceptance. Let it all happen right in front of you. Watch your thoughts come and go. They will try to sway you with their flow, gently just come back to the present moment. And yes you are doing it right.
2. You are not your thoughts
When overthinking mind rides, it will give you hundreds of reasons why you should be blamed for the circumstances in your life how you messed up, or how you should have reacted or should be reacting. All the claims that the mind makes are false. The mind will try to convince you of the problems in your life. Just know that you are not your thoughts. See around does the problem exist or is it just a mental concept that your mind has formed to gain your attention?
3. Use the body as a vessel for consciousness
The body doesn’t know the difference between what is real and what is not. It follows your mind. So, when your mind goes rampant, the body starts to believe that it’s in danger and needs to save itself.
Your body’s command drives the mind into further action to look for all the solutions around him to feel safe again. In short, it just starts another loop of overthinking.
So it becomes necessary that you as conscious awareness step in and take charge by returning your attention to your body.
I will warn you that it is going to be uncomfortable and you will hate every single bit of it. But that’s the bridge that you have to walk yourself down.
Stay in your body, and feel those emotions that are caused by overthinking your mind. Become aware of all the sensations happening in your body, let them be there. Treat your emotions the way you will treat a child, yes with gentleness. It’s okay to feel sad, angry, anxious, or guilty. It’s not pretty, I know, but it is what it is. So why not accept it?
Don’t try to do the process in hopes of getting rid of your thoughts and emotions because it will start another round of overthinking. Follow the process with complete surrender, whatever comes your way you just accept it the way it is. No questions asked.
4. Sleep
My favorite way to stop overthinking or slow it a bit down is by sleeping through it. I’m not one of the people who make the best decisions under stress. So I let my mind slip into slumber whenever things go wild. I know it won’t solve the problem but overthinking about it wasn’t solving it too. So why not pretend for a while that it doesn’t exist?
And let’s all admit it doesn’t, the problem or the situation (as I like to call it) only exists in your mind. It’s just an illusion.
Studies have shown that overthinking only worsens your brain and makes your body weak. I know we can’t help it when survival mechanisms step in, this is why I suggest you use these methods to overcome your overthinking mind. Give yourself a break and let your problems be where they are and you, are here in the now. We will figure it all out one day, but for now, let’s take one step at a time.
Also read:
5 Ways to calm your Anxious Mind ( As an HSP) – Livin Alchemy