How to Break the Habit of Overthinking?
5 Simple Ways to Free Yourself from the Habit of Overthinking Everything
Thought in itself, has long been associated with intelligence. However, anything in excess can prove ineffective, especially when it comes to overthinking. Inherently, the more you think the more likely you are to conjure up countless reasons why you can’t do what you initially set out to accomplish.yourself. Often leaving us in a state of apprehension and confusion, as we agonize over various potential scenarios resulting in analysis paralysis where we essentially become stuck in a state of inaction.
Thanks to the habit of overthinking. What initially infused you with joyful anticipation of all of the wonderful things that are to come, now leaves you in a state of immobilizing fear, as you are left wondering why in the hell you ever set the intention, to begin with. If this at all sounds familiar, you are not alone. This post will outline 5 simple ways to free yourself from the habit of overthinking everything.
The Unconscious Habit of Overthinking
Do you frequently find yourself over-enthralled with the very thought of embarking on something new? Only to find yourself instantaneously caught up in finding every possible reason why it could never work. Perhaps you find yourself playing out every possible scenario you can think of, in an effort to find some semblance of clarity. When it comes to the realm of the unknown, we all have absolutely no idea what’s going to happen.
As creatures of habit, we often revert to familiar past experiences, and observations to gauge what is possible. The less familiarity we have with something, the more apt we are to engage in overthinking.
At its core, overthinking is a process by which we mentally search the depths of our minds to find some plausible reasoning to affirm if what we intended is in fact attainable. In other words, if our minds can not source a clear path forward, we alternatively revert to fear-based thinking which inherently conjures up every possible scenario that inevitably plays out the absolute worst-case scenario.
In the end, we are frequently left in a state of intractable fear which often leaves us in a persistent state of inaction. From our personal affairs, business, interpersonal relationships, and the like, this scenario often plays out in every aspect of our lives.
The more we overthink, the more it creates hardwired neuropathways which embeds habitual patterns that essentially becomes a part of us. In other words, it is practically impossible to just simply stop old habits, and begin anew. Like most things in life, change requires a consistent concerted effort to forge new neuropathways, essentially creating new habits which free us to boldly explore the numerous opportunities that await on the other side of fear.
Thankfully there are tangible practices that can free us to transcend the habitual patterns that keep us perpetually obligated to remain loyal to habits that no longer serve.
5 Simple Ways to Free Yourself from the Habit of Overthinking Everything
1. Increase Your Awareness
Over time excessive thinking creates unconscious habitual patterns that often leave us over one with thought. The only way to make the unconscious, conscious is to increase our awareness of what’s occurring on a moment-to-moment basis. In essence, mindfulness practice supports us to root ourselves within the now.
Often we get so caught up in the comfortability of a predictable routine that certain thoughts and tasks become automatic. In other words, our bodies become some in tune with certain patterns that we are automatically compelled to repeat certain habits without the conscious use of thought.
Back in the day, when there were little to no cell phones you were forced to commit phone numbers to memory. Much like most, I often found it much easier to dial than recite select numbers. Thanks to the repetitive mechanical motions of habitually using my fingers to dial certain number sequences, it required no thought.
To this day, I can still mechanically repeat the motions to dial numbers of old acquaintances that I wouldn’t dream of calling today. Increasing your awareness of unconscious patterns helps to make the unconscious, conscious. Thankfully shining the light of your awareness empowers you to transcend any deep-seated habitual patterns that keep you stuck in the monotony of routine.
2. Pause & Breathe
Overthinking can take your thoughts into a perpetual downward spiral within a matter of seconds. Once it starts it is often dam near impossible to stop. The absolute best approach is to refocus your attention. Where your attention goes your energy flows.
Anytime you find yourself in a downward spiral, take a moment to pause, and take a few deep breaths to re-center the crux of your attention. The pause creates space which disrupts any thought patterns that misaligns with your intention.
No one wants to invariably have their optimistic mood dismantled by a series of low vibrational negative thoughts that rapidly take your mind into a downward spiral. Everyone to some degree fears the unknown. Only the key to accessing the countless possibilities that lie outside of our comfort zone is to boldly step into something new.
More than likely, fear is ever present in every new encounter. In other words, fear is not going anywhere. We owe it to ourselves to disrupt the cycle of overthinking. Anytime you find yourself caught up in the entangled web of overthinking, take a moment to pause, and take as many breaths as needed to redirect your attention away from fear-based thinking and onto your intention.
3. Release Expectations
Much of our fear resides outside of the realm of our comfort zone. Inherently we unconsciously cultivate a series of expectations every time we set out to venture into something new. Understandably, no one likes to feel out of control. Immense opportunities to transcend limiting situations, and circumstances, reside within the expanse of the unknown. Therefore, release any expectations that are sourced in past experiences. Hold a frequency of an open willingness, to anticipate the unlimited good that can come from stepping outside of your comfort zone. Release any habits that automatically revert awareness away from solely envisioning the absolute worst that could happen, and vision the best. Essentially reacquaint your awareness with exactly what you desire to occur. Remain diligent and faithful to the vision in spite of any tangible facts that may affirm otherwise.
4. Practice Mindfulness: Be Present
Our minds tend to gravitate to past observations, and experiences, to gauge whether something is familiar. In essence, the more familiar we are, the more comfortable we are with how things will pan out.
Anytime our awareness resides in any other tense that resides out of the present moment we are not available to what unfolds on a moment-to-moment basis. Overthinking takes us out of the present solely by placing us in our heads. Anytime you notice your mind spiraling out of control, take a moment to pause, breathe, and bring your awareness back to the present.
5. Revisit Your Intentions
Overthinking predominantly stems from the center point of intention. Whatever the case may be, something or another inspired you to venture out into the expanse of the unknown. Through the process of excessive thinking, you sought to find some semblance of clarity to figure out how you were going to manifest your intention. Only overthinking has the opposite effect.
Using the breath to disrupt negative, downward spiraling thought patterns, frees you to refocus your awareness back onto the very reason why you started overthinking in the first place, your intention.