Do your fingernails bear the brunt of your anxiety? Do you keep on constantly deliberating over the what-if’s of life? If yes, then you probably ‘worry too much’.
Worrying is not an illness. However, it could easily turn into one, if you do not keep it under control. Overthinking, if not suppressed, can easily lead to an anxiety attack. Even though ‘overthinking’ is a very common term, used blatantly in everyday lives, it is much more than a mere nuisance.
Overthinking is like a toxic relationship. Too much overthinking can trigger stress, which might result in depression and other mental health ailments. It disrupts sleep and keeps you tossing and turning in bed. It forces you to relive all those embarrassing moments over and over again. Not to mention the havoc it wrecks on your health as you keep on indulging in those junkies to distract yourself from negative thoughts.
But fear not! You can overcome overthinking easily by inculcating some healthy mental habits.
1. Become Aware of your Overthinking Tendency
The first step to overcome overthinking is to acknowledge it. As human beings, we often fail to acknowledge our negative habits. If you realize you have an overthinking problem, you will be motivated to put a stop to it.
Whenever you are up at night, thinking and rethinking those situations and moments, click on the pause button. It will bring you back to the present and will help you to conquer those negative vibes.
2. Overcome Fear
The root of all your overthinking anxieties is fear. It is the fear of getting fired that forces you to overwork. It is the fear of insecurity that compels you to use a filter on your pictures. The secret trick is to not think of what can go wrong. Think about what can go right.
Winning over fear is a crucial step in winning the battle against overthinking.
Book recommendation:
Read this phenomenal classic, Feel The Fear And Do It Anyway, by Susan Jeffers that has changed the lives of millions of people around the globe.
3. Trick and Distract your Mind
Your mind is not as smart as you think it to be. You can effortlessly distract your mind from going down the path of stress and anxiety. Create happy distractions for yourself whenever you realize you are about to give in to worry.
Also, we do not need to list distractions for you. From movies to music, best friend to books – the options are endless. You will be surprised how easily your mind gets distracted.
4. Don’t Chase Perfection
Thanks to those scrutinizing eyes on social media, the burden of achieving perfection is always hanging on our shoulders. Whether it is academics, an office presentation, or a simple photo on your Instagram profile, the urge to achieve perfection has been ingrained in our minds.
Realize that beauty lies in imperfections. The aim should be to put your best foot forward.
5. Journal those Negative Thoughts
We are all aware of the usefulness of journaling our negative thoughts. But how often do we practice it? Writing a 5-minute journal goes a long way in boxing those stress and anxieties that eat up your mind. If you are high on aesthetics, you can even get a pretty notebook to beat the negative blues.
6. Put a Timer to your Thoughts
Overthinking might be harmful to your health. But thinking is not. A few minutes of self-reflection at the end of each day is vital to boost your confidence. Praise yourself for your achievements and talk yourself out of impulsive and hasty decisions.
The trick of the trade is to know when to stop with the self-reflection. Put a timer to your thoughts so that you do not cross that thin line between thinking and overthinking.
7. Don’t be Harsh on Yourself
Not social media, not your nosy relatives, you are the biggest critic of yourself. The golden rule to reduce overthinking is to go easy on you. Accept your limitations and set achievable goals. It is time we cut ourselves some slack and just soak in our own awesomeness.
8. Breath, Sleep, Repeat
The go-to solution to stop anxiety attacks induced by overthinking is to do breathing exercises. Try Breathwrk app for free guided breathing exercises that you can take anywhere. Whenever you feel the overthinking taking over your senses, breathe in and out slowly to let it escape your body.
Also, in this regard, the phrase ‘sleep over it’ works wonders. A good night’s sleep can go a long way in ensuring a healthy mind and body. Not to mention the wonders it does for your skin!
Excessive worrying keeps you from experiencing the beauty that is the present. Even though it is not possible to tame those negative vibes in one day, the daily practice of these habits will surely make the process easier.
So, are you ready to beat the worry and be happy?