If you’re someone who has trouble letting stuff go, this post is for you.
If you find yourself constantly questioning your own decisions - whether it’s in your personal life, or in your business -- this post is for you.
If you get a pang of worry after you send someone a text and they don’t respond to it immediately … your first internal reaction is “what did I do wrong?!” - this post is for you.
Or if you spend wayyyy too much time worrying about the future. Which, btw, is a place in your life you can’t predict or control anyway. And logically you know that but you can’t help thinking about it anyway. Then this post is absolutely for you.
These are all signs of overthinking, AKA worrying.
And if you’re someone who overthinks, you need to know that the constant commentary in your brain isn't doing you any favors when it comes to reducing your stress.
In fact it’s just adding to the stress. A fact which I’m sure you’re painfully aware.
It can interrupt your sleep.
Interrupt your eating habits.
Interrupt your ability to simply function day to day.
So IF this sounds like you and you are a person who has a ton of “what if’s” and “shoulds” running through your brain on a daily basis, and they are wearing you the frig out… then the 3 hacks in this post are going to bring some relief.
I’m here to help you put an end to them. You deserve to experience more mental and emotional freedom.
Stop Overthinking Hack 1: Use the power of your senses to ground you.
When you find yourself in an episode where you’re spinning and worrying about something out of your control, you need an interruption.
BAM. So you can get out of your own head.
A great interruption is a sensory interruption. Focusing on what’s happening immediately around you, in the area you’re present.
For example, let’s say you’re in the car and you remember you sent an email to a colleague of yours but you never received a reply.
So you start overly focusing on “Why didn’t she reply to me?”, “What did I do wrong?”, “Does she not like me?” “What did I do to offend her?”
Or maybe your brain goes in another direction and you begin to have thoughts like, “I can’t believe she doesn’t value my time enough to reply!”
The point is you’re overthinking the situation.
The point is you’re thinking period.
You're literally making up stories in your head.
That’s what our brains love to do.
You actually have no idea what’s happening in her life.
The solution is simple - stop making up stories and just send another email with a little reminder that you're following up. Done.
But in order to get your head into the space where you can actually do that, you have to interrupt that overthinking flow.
And if you use your senses, you can do that. Try to simply bring awareness to the feeling of your hands on the steering wheel.
Listen to whatever is on the radio. Turn up the volume.
Focus on the color of the sky outside your windshield.
The reason this works is because you ground the swirl of thoughts in your head into a tangible environment. You begin to distract yourself enough that you can start thinking logically about the situation.
And just like the overthinking is diffused.
Stop Overthinking Hack 2 - Choose to believe something different than what you are already choosing to believe.
In other words, replace the thoughts you’re focusing on with new thoughts.
If we were to continue to use the example above, I’d ask you to choose a reason other than “she’s disrespecting you”. I’d ask you to completely erase that train of thought from your mind.
Maybe with something a bit more logical.
For example: she hasn’t had a chance to reply yet because she’s been home, sick with her kids and is having a complete meltdown of her own.
Or, she hasn’t replied yet because your email got lost in the 200 additional emails she received that day.
Get the idea? Diffuse the worry by choosing new, more practical (and probably true) thoughts so you can break that overthinking cycle.
Stop Overthinking Hack 3 - Accept that with each situation you’re experiencing, it’s an opportunity to improve.
Most of the time, overthinking is rooted in our own lack of confidence or fears about our self-worth.
Truth.
If you spend some time considering why you’re triggered about whatever it is you're overthinking, chances are you can trace it back to one of your own deep rooted fears.
Maybe you felt ignored growing up. Or you worry you aren’t able to communicate with clarity.
Here’s the thing, though. We all have insecurities. It doesn’t matter who you are, there’s always something you’re going to be insecure about.
And rather than be down on yourself, try accepting the fact that those triggers you’re experiencing are opportunities for you to be a better version of yourself. To do better.
You don’t have to fall victim to the same patterns.
You can interrupt that cycle and change the story you’re telling yourself.
If you liked these tips, you can grab a freebie that has them laid out for you as a handy checklist, too. Download it here.
XO,
Hayley