Most of us have experienced the invasion of the uninvited and self-destructive visitors named doubt and fear. These are intruders that may consume our waking mind during some times of our lives. Are we able to rid them from our lives quickly? Or have they hung on like a plague, wanting to be defined as a permanent part of your mental and emotional makeup? Do you wonder how to get out of your head and stop overthinking everything? Do you want optimism and clarity to replace these destructive thoughts? Let’s talk about 10 ways to get out of your head and stop overthinking everything.
What Is Meant By Overthinking?
Sleepless nights – are they a constant in your life? Do you overthink everything? Does it seem that you are unable to turn your brain off? Allowing negative thoughts to consume our every waking moment constitutes what is meant by overthinking. The classic definition of overthinking is to think about something too much or for too long. When you cannot turn your concerns off, they may become more and more threatening to our positive mental health .
All of us may have an occasional sleepless night like this.
It is normal human nature, and also recommended action. to carefully think things through and compare possible outcomes while we are trying to decide or properly evaluate a situation. The bigger the decision, the more thought and angst produced. Uncontrolled, it may completely envelop your thoughts and actions.
Learning to be decisive while we weigh all that is involved in decision-making requires wisdom and well thought out actions.
This process becomes overthinking when we are consumed with the thoughts, when we can’t get out of our own head.
The scenario is played over and over again. Negative or formidable thoughts grow more foreboding with each replay. We may then become paralyzed – unable to actually make a decision – unable to take any action. And that is never good.
Symptoms of Overthinking
Symptoms of overthinking may include being consumed by catastrophic predictions about unlikely events – events that have not yet occurred – to the point that you are unable to see the matter clearly. You may become stuck in the cycle of
Negative slight possibilities loom large in your uncontrolled thoughts. You may be stressed about what others think of you. You begin to think everyone sees you as a failure or a threat to the group.
When we get on this treadmill, we may feel overwhelmed and gravitate toward becoming an essential part of the thinking, unable to determine reality.
We therefore lose our ability to choose and decide. We are consumed by fear. We are afraid to act, and we are unable to make decisions. We feel helpless and out of control. The old term “paralysis by analysis” comes to mind.
Ideas To Help Free Oneself From Overthinking
Overthinking can lead to binge eating, depression and anxiety. The accompanying fears then dominate one’s behavior.
Take a deep breath and seek objectivity.
Rather than “why do all my relationships turn sour?”, focus on solution-oriented questions regarding your behavior. Take the time to breathe deeply, to categorize any fears, to adopt objectivity methods in determining importance. These tactics will lead to a healthier you.
On its own, overthinking isn’t recognized as a mental disorder. However, overthinking symptoms often indicate that another disorder is present, such as depression or anxiety. Even so, overthinking can have negative effects on your life. It needs to be addressed.
10 Ways to Get Out of Your Head and Stop Overthinking Everything
1. Awareness is the beginning of change. Identify the problems. Verbalize each one, or make a written list. Honestly own the formidable thoughts that hold you captive.
2. Distract yourself into a joyful mood through activity such as exercise (a long brisk walk is a great antidote to anxious thoughts.) Dance, skip, dig a flower bed. All hold a positive release of angst.
3. Concentrate not on what can go wrong but rather on what may go right.
4. Put the desired outcome into perspective. It well may not be instantaneous. In the next 6 months? If so, put the thoughts in a mental container and do not entertain those thoughts on a daily basis.
5. Stop waiting for your life, your time, your place, to be perfect. Learning to deal with imperfections leads to our being the conqueror in many situations.
6. Change vibes of fear to vibes of faith. We all need a savior. A source of help. “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore, we will not fear.” Psalm 46:1 There will be difficult times. We are not alone.
7. We can’t predict the future. Practice doing the best you can, seek the best encourager and advisor to walk with you, and trust the unknown into the powerful hands of Almighty God.
8. Accept your best. Ward off negativity, anxious and stressful thoughts. Praise yourself for every small as well as every large accomplishment. Acknowledge your growth in becoming more loving, more trusting and forgiving.
9. Forgive those who have hurt you. Accept the forgiveness Jesus Christ offers you. Find a Christ-follower and request him/her to be your prayer partner. There is great strength in this threesome.
10. Be grateful Practice a thankful heart. Express gratitude to others and speak out thankful phrases in your solitude. Turn the negatives into creative, productive, and effective actions.
11. Live in the moment. The past cannot be changed.
12. Let go of past failures and unpleasant happenings. Do not let past mistakes control future outcomes.
13. Bring to mind and then release the remembrance of bad things that have been done to you. Replace these with peaceful thoughts and thanksgiving for the gift of a forgiving heart.
14. Forgive – let go and forgive.
“May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing to you, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.” Psalm 19:14.
15. Daily meditation can retrain your brain.
“This is the Day that the Lord has made. I WILL rejoice and be glad in it.” Psalms 118:24
16. Identify problems – clear your mind. Meditating on God’s word gives you power and energy to formulate solutions.
17. Get off the stationary path – try the path of faith.
18. Do not entertain what may be the worst of outcomes. Or put yourself down over and over for something you said. Forgive yourself as well as others.
19. Make this a day of positive thoughts from a clear and decisive mind, a joyful recognition that you are capable of choosing the better answers for your challenges. Trust God. Trust yourself. Trust others.
“We are more than conquerors in Christ who loved us so much that he died for us.” Romans 8:37
Help is available now for these doubts that want to confuse you. Watch this video for more clarification and connect with us here if you would like to be connected with one of our team who can help you and pray with you. We hope these 10 ways to get out of your head and stop overthinking everything have been helpful to you today.
