Your mind is constantly chaotic. Even if it gets quiet for a few minutes, some thought just creeps inside from nowhere and there your mind goes again, in a neverending spree of overthinking.
I have been there and if you are reading this, you have too. Although overthinking might not sound like a serious concern, it can bring despair and feelings of anxiety and depression if not addressed well.
Most of the time overthinking stems from fear of a myriad of things that causes one to keep thinking of the ‘what ifs’. Overthink is also almost always involves negative thoughts about self.
There comes a point, where you get so utterly sick and tired of it that all you ask for is your mind to shush for atleast 10 minutes.
If you find yourself in the same situation more often, these 6 tips will help you cope with overthinking.
It is important to mention though, that in order for you to try out these tips, you must first address the fears and thoughts that lead to your overthinking. You need to first be able to realise when you begin overthinking.
Try thinking about your thoughts from different perspectives
I have rolled my eyes a hundred times when people have told me to stop overthinking. I get you. You just cannot stop overthinking completely. It won’t happen overnight. The next best thing to do would be to entertain the thoughts but from different perspectives. Address the thoughts and try to think them out with logical reasoning. The moment you realise that most of them are illogical, you yourself will get rid of overthinking.
Meditation, though old school, works wonders in calming the mind
When you shut your eyes, and tell your mind to turn inwards, you begin to clear your mind of all the mess. Sitting quietly and focusing on your breathing pattern calms the mind and helps to focus on more important thoughts that actually make sense. Meditating for only 5 minutes every day will go a long way in battling overthinking. Try it! I have personally done this and I cannot stress enough how much it helped.
Entertain thoughts that make you feel good and happy
If thoughts refuse to leave your mind no matter what you do, force yourself to think about only good and positive things that make you happy. This can be anything. Thinking about all the places you want to visit, or the dishes you want to try out, or the good times you spent in the past, or about that one person with whom you spent some of the most beautiful days and moments of your life. Positive thoughts, only positive thoughts.
Try overcoming your fears
First, identify your fears. If you want, write them down. Then try facing minor fears by breaking each one down with possible solutions. If you fear them too a lot, ask for help from someone you trust. Take the first step and tell yourself things like, “I will deal with things as and when they take place”, “I am brave and capable enough to do this”. Assure yourself that you will just be fine and that you can rely on yourself. You will gradually gain the courage and confidence to handle much bigger fears of yours.
Adopt the ‘cancel’ approach
This is a personally tried trick, believe me! The moment your negative overthinking starts overpowering you, start saying ‘cancel cancel cancel cancel’ again and again, till the time your mind doest give up overthinking. Take a deep breath after you stop overthinking and take up an activity to keep your mind busy.
Distraction is the best policy for overthinkers
Overthinking can knock on the door any time, especially when you are sitting idle and alone. You need to practice the art of keeping yourself distracted or busy with some or the other activity. It can be anything from chit-chatting with the cab driver to reading something before falling asleep or singing your favourite songs.
Overthinking can happen to anyone. It isn’t something that makes you abnormal. It is only human to overthink because you have a life to live well. Overcoming overthinking is possible but only if you really try. With these tips at your disposal, you should be just fine!
