Regarding anxiety, over thinking can be a major problem. If you’re constantly worrying about what might happen or obsessing over every little detail, it’s tough to relax and enjoy life. The good news is that there are things you can do to stop over thinking and take control of your anxiety.
One of the best ways to stop over thinking is to keep your mind busy with other activities. This could include things like reading, writing, working on a project, or even just talking with friends or family. When you’re occupied with something else, it’s easier to put your anxious thoughts on the back burner and focus on the task at hand.
It can also be helpful to get into a healthy routine where you’re making time for both work and leisure activities. This way you’ll have structure in your day and won’t have as much time to dwell on anxious thoughts. Exercise is another great way to distract yourself from anxiety and boost your mood at the same time.
If you find that you’re still struggling with over thinking, there are plenty of resources available to help including books, articles, therapist directories, hotlines (e.g., National Suicide Prevention Lifeline), and online support groups.
Awareness is the beginning of change
If you’re reading this, then it’s likely that you are already aware that something needs to change in your life. Overthinking, anxiety and stress can be debilitating and prevent us from living the life we want to lead. But where do we start? How do we break the cycle of negative thinking and behaviours?
The first step is always awareness. Once we become aware of the problem, we can start to look for solutions. If over thinking is a problem for you, then it’s important to become more mindful of your thought patterns. Start to notice when you’re getting caught up in anxious or worried thoughts, and make a conscious effort to break out of that cycle.
One way to do this is by challenging your negative thoughts. Are they really true? What evidence do you have to support them? Often, when we examine our worries more closely, we realize that they are based on irrational fears or assumptions. By learning to question our thoughts in this way, we can start to let go of them more easily.
In addition to becoming more mindful of our thoughts, it’s also important to take care of our bodies. Stress and anxiety can take a toll on our physical health, so it’s important to find ways to relax and de-stress. Exercise, relaxation techniques such as yoga or meditation, and healthy lifestyle choices can all help reduce stress levels and promote wellbeing.
Making these changes won’t happen overnight – but if you’re willing to put in the effort, they can make a big difference in your life.”
Don’t think of what can go wrong, but what can go right
We all know that feeling of anxiousness, when our mind starts racing and we can’t seem to stop thinking about all the things that could go wrong. It’s normal to feel this way from time to time, but for some people, anxiety can be a constant battle. If you’re someone who struggles with anxiety, you may have found yourself wondering how to stop over thinking and just relax already.
Here are a few tips:
1. Don’t try to control everything – This is easier said than done, but it’s important to remember that you can’t control everything in life. Worrying about things that are out of your control will only make your anxiety worse. So take a deep breath and let go of the need to control everything.
2. Focus on the positive – When you’re feeling anxious, it’s easy to focus on all the negative possibilities. But instead of dwelling on what could go wrong, try to focus on what could go right. Visualize yourself succeeding or imagine how good you’ll feel once the situation is over. Positive thinking can help reduce anxiety levels significantly.
3. Challenge your worries – A lot of times, our worries are based on irrational thoughts or fears that aren’t actually true. So next time you find yourself worrying excessively about something, take a step back and ask yourself if there’s any evidence to support your worry or if it’s just based on your fear alone. Most likely, you’ll realize that your worry is unfounded and this will help lessen your anxiety overall. Challenging your worries in this way can be really helpful in reducing anxious thoughts. Plus, it also feels pretty empowering too! 😉
4. Distract yourself – Sometimes, the best way to stop over thinking is to simply distract yourself from those anxious thoughts. Go for a walk, read a book, listen to music, or watch a movie. Do whatever you need to do to get your mind off of whatever is causing your anxiety.
Put things into perspective
Anxiety can be incredibly debilitating, preventing us from enjoying life and achieving our goals. It can feel like we’re constantly worrying about things that may never happen, and over thinking can make things seem a lot worse than they actually are.
It’s important to remember that anxiety is a normal part of life, and everyone experiences it at some point. It’s only when anxiety starts to interfere with our daily lives that it becomes a problem.
There are a number of things you can do to stop over thinking and take back control of your life. Here are some tips:
1. Challenge your negative thoughts: When you find yourself worrying about something, ask yourself whether there’s any evidence to support your fears. Often, we magnify the importance of things in our minds, making them seem much worse than they actually are. Challenging your negative thoughts can help you see the situation more clearly and put things into perspective.
2. Focus on the present moment: One of the main reasons we worry is because we’re constantly thinking about the future or dwelling on past events. This prevents us from enjoying the present moment and increases our anxiety levels. Instead of letting your mind wander, focus on what’s happening right now and what you can do in this moment to improve the situation.
Put a timer to work
This means setting a specific amount of time in which you allow yourself to think about whatever is causing you anxiety or worry. Once the timer goes off, you force yourself to stop thinking about it and move on with your day.
This can be a difficult task at first, but with practice it can become easier and more effective. It’s important to be as specific as possible when setting the timer. For example, if you’re worried about an upcoming meeting, give yourself 10 minutes during your lunch break to think about it and plan what you’ll say. Then, when the timer goes off, close your laptop or put away your notebook and don’t allow yourself to think about the meeting again until it’s actually happening.
The goal is not to eliminate all worry or stress from your life – that’s impossible – but rather to train your brain not to dwell on those things constantly. If you find that even after using a timer you’re still struggling with over thinking and anxiety, consider seeking out professional help from a therapist or counselor who can provide additional guidance and support.