Overthinking is when thinking becomes a detriment to your goals. While there is nothing wrong with letting your mind wander into deep thought, the problem occurs when thoughts are too often accompanied by fear and doubt. Everyone has experienced this at one point or another. For others, these feelings come up with many day-to-day dealings. Habitual overthinking can be proactive for your energy, motivation, self-confidence, interpersonal relationships and overall well-being. If this is you, it is nothing to feel bad about. These habits can be significantly improved with self-awareness and more intentional thinking. Here are five things we all have access to, that can help to harness a wandering mind. 

1. Catching yourself in negative thoughts

It’s important to monitor the thoughts you grasp onto. Whenever you catch yourself in deep and the thoughts in your head have seemed to take power over you, it’s crucial to first acknowledge that it’s happening and decide to stop going down the road of doubt. Look at how you’re responding. Have you fallen into a cycle of repetitive thinking? Identifying the triggering emotions behind these thoughts may also be helpful. What (or who) makes you doubt yourself?

2. Learn and practice mindfulness skills.

The road to mastering mindfulness can seem never-ending. Meditation can range from a simple to advanced practice, using the breath as means for both transcending and grounding. Being mindful does not particularly require full-blown meditation. To put it simply, mindfulness is centered around being aware of your body, present sensations and current environment. Rather than festering on current life-circumstances or thoughts, focus all of your attention to what is present in the body and identifiable visually or through sensation. This can also be done through deep breathing, working out, dancing, dancing, etc. A simple trick that helps me when I’m stuck, is to stop what I’m doing and identify all of the different colors around me. How many different shades of each color can I find? How many places can I find one specific color? How do these visualizations change or stay the same? It may sound silly, but this is a simple trick to stop all negative thoughts in their steps. Before you know it, a new chain of thoughts can run through your head that are completely new and separate from the ones tied to past attachments.  Remembering, it’s not toxic to let your mind wander about random, present, or “easy” thoughts. What’s harmful are the thoughts that take you out of the present, hindering your mood, motivation and ability to concentrate on what is in front of you.

3. Focus on problems that you can solve

When letting go of a heavy thought isn’t so simple or there are many clouding your mind, take some time to reflect. It can be helpful to write down all of the things on your mind, big or small. When they are on paper it can be more clear what is actually important in the moment. After identifying realistic stressers, it is possible to look for realistic solutions. Don’t overdo it. You have to pick a starting point to begin the path to completion.

4. Take a step back.

Sometimes we get so caught up in everything that is happening around us and within us, that we forget to look at ourselves objectively. Notice how you are responding. Recognize automatic negative thinking or anxiety. Challenge your own thoughts, if the worry you’re feeling is valid or just a familiar feeling that you find yourself latching onto. Consider other points of view. It’s incredible how nothing about a situation can change, but when you change your perspective towards the situation, it can be as if everything has changed. 

5. Practice gratitude

Practicing gratitude is an under spoken skill that can change your life in powerful ways. The mind has a great ability to focus on one thing at a time. You can’t feel bad or regretful when you are in a state of gratitude. Make lists of everything you are grateful for. It’s okay to put all things great or small on these lists, and the more often the better. Reinforcing the thought of all that you already have and are, is important for building the gratitude and confidence to keep working towards new challenges. 

The moral of the story is a pondering mind isn’t something to be ashamed of. It’s important to set boundaries for how you speak to yourself, the thoughts you run with, and automatic thinking patterns. The solution for overthinking is not found in the same place it manifests. It is found out in the world, living, thinking and breathing in the now. 

By Monique Micek