Our minds run constantly. It never shuts off. Work, family, what to cook for dinner, I can't believe he said that, what should I wear to the party this weekend, are my kids being good at school and on and on and on. When does it stop? Only we can stop our minds from overthinking. But how? You've tried a million times but you give up after half an hour of desperate trying.
We are creatures of habit. For many of us, worry is commonplace. Our mind is filled with worry. We worry about things that haven't even happened or quite possibly will never happen anyway. Our overthinking is full of this worry. Overthinking really is just taking one issue, worry or situation and thinking it to death. It pollutes our brain and eventually leads to illness and physical ailments.
So how do we make this stop? How do we get a handle on overthinking and eliminate it from our minds? It's easier than you think! Here are 5 simple ways to get you started.
1. Find the positive stuff.
You have lots of it tucked away in your memory bank somewhere. Pull it out and bring it to the forefront of your mind. Remember all the things that make you smile, laugh and make your heart sing. Switch to your happy place. Do it as soon as you recognize you are in overwhelm mode. Imagine an image of a cute puppy you saw today or perhaps a funny joke you heard yesterday.
2. Get in the moment.
The right here right now. Tell your mind to just stop for one minute and take in where you are at this moment. Are you sitting at the kitchen table sipping tea? Look out the window and appreciate the beauty of the clouds or a bird flying by. Be here now. If you are lying in bed trying to sleep bring awareness to your peaceful body, because your body is peaceful, and pay attention to your skin, your muscles, your breathing. Stay present.
3. Put your sneakers on.
Get out in nature or grab your flip flops and take a walk down by the lake. There is nothing like the fresh air and a big dose of Vitamin D to take your mind off of worries and stress and whatever else has taken up too much room in your head. Tune int o your iPod and turn it up. Music soothes the soul. When you have a great song playing and you start singing along, suddenly the mind is happy.
4. Peace out.
Stop and take a moment to notice your thoughts. Where are they taking you? How much stress are they causing you right at this moment? Tell them to stop. Say it out loud if you find that it may be more effective, whatever works best for you, but demand your negative thoughts to stop immediately. Once you command that, they will stop. You control your mind, right? Your mind will think whatever you tell it to think. Make it stop.
5. Map it out.
Write out some of the things that are clogging your mind. Have a look at them and see which ones you can actually do something about and which ones you are more than likely just making up (many of our worries, we've made up as most of them never actually happen anyway). Instead of worrying about these things to death, can you prevent them, find a solution or just completely toss it under G for garbage? Do the check and chuck with your thoughts?
You must remember that too often our thoughts can cause us to be sick and we are not here to be sick or stressed, especially because of our mind and all the made up stories we have stored in there. Release your mind, eliminate stress and live a happier more peaceful life.