4 Strategies to Stop Overthinking

Have you ever wished that you could stop overthinking things?

Would you ever want your heart to stop beating? No. Do you want your lungs to stop breathing? No. Your heart is made to beat, your lungs are made to breathe, so why do you want your brain to stop thinking? The one thing that your brain is meant to do is think.?

So the issue is not that you’re overthinking. The issue is what you’re thinking about. You’re not overthinking the positive, you’re overthinking the negative which means that you’re focusing on the wrong thing.?

Here are 4 strategies to shift your focus:

Take Control

Get into the habit of speaking to your brain. "Not right now brain." Just try it, you will be amazed at how effective these three words are. Just by saying them, you are taking control. Your brain is a muscle, the more you train it, the better it'll become. You CAN train your thoughts.?

Write it down

Take out a pen and paper and write it down. This gives you the chance to make sense of everything your brain is overthinking. You make sense of it, by coming up with a plan. So when you catch yourself overthinking, write it down and come up with a solution. You're much less likely to overthink once you know there's a clear plan of action.?

Breathe

Deep breaths can change your state immediately. Breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth. Make your exhale longer than your inhale. The longer the exhale, the more it slows your heart rate down. When you take control of your breath, your body and mind will follow.

Practice Being Present

Overthinking means that you're living in the future. Practice living in the present moment, it's the only time that you're actually living. You can do this by setting an intention to be more mindful about what you're doing. If you're washing dishes, take note of the temperature of the water, the sound the sponge makes against a dish, the feeling of the soap. BE in the moment. Try and do this throughout your day, eventually it'll become your natural state to live in.?

You can check out new episodes of the Mindset Mentor podcast every week here.?