I wrote an article about whether I am overthinking about my autistic son and the response to this article was tremendous. I decided to do more research on this topic and will like to share 5 strategies that can help us to stop overthinking.
We are now living in an era of information overload with some many stimulus competing for our attention. What a lot of people did not realized is that thinking can be additive. Once we start thinking in a certain way, we tend to get suck into more and more similar thoughts. Gradually over time, a pattern of thinking is formed, with thoughts of similar themes playing in our mind like a broken CD. The end result is that we tend to overthink and over analysed and become anxious.
However there are some simple strategies which can help us to stop overthinking.
1. Be An Observer Of Our Thoughts
We need to be able to observe and entertain thoughts that come to our mind instead of cutting off these thoughts immediately. The best way to do this, is to observe our thinking. Imagine that we are watching a movie of ourselves having these thoughts. How are these thoughts serving us? Are the thoughts helping or hindering us? Let go of thoughts that are hindering us. With practice, it will become easier and easier to let go of thoughts that create unnecessary worries. In this way, we can break gradually break the pattern of overthinking.
2. Shifting Our Perspective
When we start having the same thoughts over and over again, ask ourselves this question. Will these thoughts matter in 3 hours, 3 days, 3 weeks, 3 months or 3 years time? This will enable us to look at things with better perspective and keep ourselves grounded. Thus we are able to focus on major issues and don't sweat over small stuff.
3. Live In The Present
A lot of our overthinking lies with our regrets of the past and our fears of the future. There is no way for us to change our past and we can only change our future by changing how we act now. Instead of being trapped by both our past and future, we need to be fully present now and seize the moment. If we can stop regretting the past and stop being fearful of the future, our mind is able to focus on the present. In this way, we are able to stop overthinking.
4. Change Our Physiology
I was very fortunate to have attended Anthony Robbins' Unleash The Power Within program. One my takeaway from this program is that just changing my physiology, I am able to change my state of mind. If I stand upright, put my head in the air and take powerful strides, I can change from a state of fear to a state of confidence. By changing my physiology, I can change my state of mind to one where I don't overthink and replace negative thoughts with positive ones.
5. Putting Our Trust In A Higher Being
When we put our trust in a higher being, we release the need to control our lives. Instead we believe that God has a plan for us and we are able to surrender ourselves to Him. So when bad things happen, we do not ask, God why me? Instead we believe that these things happen for a purpose. Then we are able to let go of our fears and worries and stop overthinking.
The above 5 strategies are not magical pills which can help you to stop overthinking instantly. The strategies are not meant to be understood at a purely theoretical level. Instead we need to embrace and apply these strategies in our lives. Only then, slowly but surely can we start to reduce our overthing gradually. The good news is that it gets easier with practice.
Give these strategies a try and share your experiences with us.
Posted using Partiko Android
Masturbating is also addictive. Any strategies to help with that sir?
never leave yourself alone keep yourself busy as much as pposssible you will not give attention towards those stuffs
I was just making fun of this crappy post. I love masturbating and don't plan quitting any time soon.
I get pleased very much your post, since particularly I belong to the persons who think TOO MUCH about the things that I have earring and in occasions I do not do anything to do them, me creating sometimes pains of heads and up to problems of health. I have to one 1-year-old baby and worry very much for the things that they could happen to him and practically I stop enjoying the present for thinking about things that they have not happened. It will bear in mind these strategies to take a life mas relaxed of thought negatives, in benefit of my health and for the care that my pretty daughter deserves. Regards
Overthinking is what a lot of us tend to do and what end up being anxious and fearful. I am glad that you find my article useful and I hope that you can resteem it. I hope that you will have great success in trying out these strategies and that you life will turn out for the better.
Very helpful article! Thanks :)
Most welcome. Thanks for visiting.
Posted using Partiko Android
The only things I spend on physical effort allow me to stop thinking.
Fully Advice :)
We need to be engaged in different things and physical exercises is one of them.
Is it possible for feeling to become as addictive as thinking?
It is very possible for feelings to be addictive. In fact we become addicted to some things due to the feelings that we want to create for ourselves.
Posted using Partiko Android
Very wise publication, there was a time in my life that I used to think too much, I think it is one of the defects of the engineers, it was difficult for me to rest my mind for what caused a lot of stress, to situations I put a lot of logic, until I learned to rest in God, to leave all burdens in his hands. Life was different my health improved, now I do what I can do and I think about everything good, everything just, everything in good name.Thank you for sharing @positivesteem.
For those who believe in God, the best strategy is to surrender your life in God's hand.
Posted using Partiko Android
Yes, there are lots of reason for not doing something .......but there is only one reason to do something, and some do that with one reason.
Sometimes it is very important to know the reason or the why we are doing something.
Posted using Partiko Android
You got a 30.60% upvote from @postpromoter courtesy of @positivesteem!
Want to promote your posts too? Check out the Steem Bot Tracker website for more info. If you would like to support the development of @postpromoter and the bot tracker please vote for @yabapmatt for witness!
AS A BIG Overthinker i like your post a lot, sometimes it' s hard do focus on our positive way of thinking most of the time we overthink about problems or bad stuff we rarely fill our mind with positive stuff and that' s truly unhealthy for our mind..
Thank you for your comments. Try entertaining your thoughts without the need to try to control them. If you feel that the thoughts are hindering you instead of helping you, let them go.
I like this. Weldone
This post has received a 34.9 % upvote from @boomerang.
Overthinking affects so many of us every day. Taking time to really assess our reasoning and attitudes can help alleviate some of that pressure and stress. I especially liked the changing perspective idea; a shift of perspective can work wonders. Thanks for sharing.
Overthinking and over-analysing can take its toil on us. Sometimes we tend to have tunnel vision, and a shift in perspective can do wonders
Posted using Partiko Android
I don't think you necessarily need to trust in a higher being, it's off putting for a large number of people.
This is something very personal. But for me, this strategy has helped me tremendously.
Posted using Partiko Android
Thanks for sharing...
Most welcome. I am happy that you find my post useful.
Posted using Partiko Android
Such a great post. I am guilty of this. overthinking ruins happiness. it turns you into a psycho. it affects the entire state of your being, most importantly , your relationship with people. it feeds you with fear and steal away hope from you. You live your days imagining things that may never happen entirely. Sometimes one cannot really be blamed as some situations can be so overwhelming that it consumes you and leaves you empty. But what this post tries do is to let people like myself know that you can do better with constant effort. you can be happy regardless. Thank you.
I hope that you will try some of these strategies. Do share Smith of your experience.
Posted using Partiko Android
We must heal ourselves from within using outside sources to help us find those modalities that will heal and help us take the first step. Great article, thanks to you.
Thank you. Knowing ourselves better is definitely a step in the right direction.
Posted using Partiko Android
That is essentially a civilisation illness. Overthinking makes us stop doing, and instead we fall into almost deadly trap - because time passes and we do not notice until the casket is closer and closer.
I would also add Experiences shift perspective, as there are (sometimes extreme) moments that can heal one of overthinking for good.
No action, no reaction.
Yes, experience is definitely part of the equation. With experience we will also be able to find out which strategy works best for us.
Posted using Partiko Android
thanks to your article, it leads many to reflect and to stop. I will practice these strategies, because I suffer from stress for thinking and planning everything, it can also be for my type of job, Excellent article @positivesteem
Glad you liked these strategies, hope that you can resteem so that more people can benefit from this article.
Posted using Partiko Android
I use alcohol. Works every time.
Alcohol can be used as a distraction. But what happens after you wake up from a hangover.
Posted using Partiko Android
Help yourself and the sky will help you !!
True.
Posted using Partiko Android
Most people can't control their sentiment-feelings, it will always play an important role when trading. I believe this is the toughest challenge to overcome: to be able to trade with a cold mind.
Thanks for the post :)
buena publicacion,,
aveces pensamos mas de lo que debemos jejeje,,,
Thank you for your comments and for visiting.
Posted using Partiko Android
You are absolutely right, I am addicted to thinking and in fact sick excess, more when we think and thinking does not help us because the solution escapes our hands. We must live in the present otherwise we will have lived without realizing it and wasting the unrecoverable time.
Living in the present can prevent our brain from excessive thinking.
Posted using Partiko Android
Hi @positivesteem!
Your post was upvoted by @steem-ua, new Steem dApp, using UserAuthority for algorithmic post curation!
Your UA account score is currently 4.797 which ranks you at #1321 across all Steem accounts.
Your rank has dropped 13 places in the last three days (old rank 1308).
In our last Algorithmic Curation Round, consisting of 278 contributions, your post is ranked at #65.
Evaluation of your UA score:
Feel free to join our @steem-ua Discord server
Thank you.
Posted using Partiko Android
Studying traditional Chinese medicine I have learned that for the oriental ancestors, Westerners are obsessive. For them, if we keep thinking about something for more than 3 breaths that's an obsession. So these tips that you share with us are a contribution to healing the collective mind of this side of the world.
It helps me to meditate. There are many types of meditation, the ideal is that everyone chooses the meditation with which they feel better. And also physical exercise helps me. They are practices that help us to quiet the mind to connect with our higher consciousness.
Agreed with you that meditation can help. Meditation can calm down our over-active and wandering mind.
Posted using Partiko Android
An educative text,really learnt alot
Thank you. Perhaps you can resteem and more people can benefit from this article.
Posted using Partiko Android
very good on practical suggestion but in reality it base on self discipline to stay on the road to get success
Thanks for commenting and visiting.
Posted using Partiko Android
I try never to think if I can help it
Thinking is ok but not overthinking. It all boils down to balance and equilibrium.
Posted using Partiko Android
Muy útil su publicación. Es mi caso porque muchas veces nos hacemos muchas fantasías en nuestra mente hasta acabar ansiosos o nerviosos. Hasta nos provoca insomnio. Si pensamos demasiado pasamos mucho tiempo en la fantasía olvidando en la realidad. Pero podemos volcar este habito en uno positivo y dejar de preocuparnos por el futuro.
Thank you for your comments
Posted using Partiko Android
Thanks for visiting.
Posted using Partiko Android
@positivesteem well you have focused on this common probblem nowadays spreading like a jungle fire specially in the teenagers as in this world full of competitions everyone is in a race to achieve success either in the field of his/her carrier or in the field of relationships with their families friends or their loved one's and the one of the most effective way to stop overthinking is to just keep yourself busy not giving enough leisure time to get into the oveerthinking again and again
Keeping ourselves occupied productively is another good strategy.
Posted using Partiko Android
At first I was thinking that it will be just a motivational post and all the things we read and listen around us from the motivational speakers but going through the whole post, I was really impressed the effort you have put here. You shared the real life problems and their possible solutions here. You seem to research a lot about this stuff and really have valid points here. Overthinking is a big issue these days.
Thank you for the compliments. Overthinking is something that I have to cope with especially when I think of my autistic son's future. I hope that these strategies will be able to help others.
Posted using Partiko Android
Great topic, thanks for posting this. Very necessary nowadays with the massive amount of information arriving to our brains.
Our minds need some proper rest to work properly. I have tried many techniques. The ones that change your brain's behavior (like PNL methods) take some learning process. The fastest "ready to go" technique for me is listening to audio guided meditations of any type. 10-15 min as a start is more than the brain usually gets :)
Meditations work and helps to calm our over active minds.
Posted using Partiko Android
Congratulations @positivesteem!
Your post was mentioned in the Steemit Hit Parade in the following category:
Wow, so happy to be on this list.
Posted using Partiko Android
Resteemed by @resteembot! Good Luck!
Check @resteembot's introduction post or the other great posts I already resteemed.
Thank you
Posted using Partiko Android
Thank you for your interesting ideas😊
when ever you do some work... just be in that.. with your mind and soul. since thinking is good while over thinking creates strees and anxiety. let the things happen like their way.sir any other things.
I also have over thinking problem. I over thinks about the situation I am in.. like
this can happen or this or this.
I think the situation in. many ways.. thus ends up developing stress
It is great if we can maintain balance
Posted using Partiko Android
okk... any thing else sir
Good one
I also overthink sometimes. The last strategy is a must. Great article!
I am so happy that you liked my article. Thank you for visiting.
Posted using Partiko Android
Very well said! Overthinking is really unhealthy and it could lead to a more serious psychological problem if a person does not address the problem right away. Thanks for your word of advice. :)
I overthink sometimes.. And because I overthink, I tend to worry too... And I've realized that it's not getting any better... Thanks for sharing this article @positiveesteem. It helped me.
I think that this is just great. It is the first time that my article has been turned into a audio article and I just loved it.