So if you’ve been following my blog, you’ll know that I’m not usually one for making new year’s resolutions. However, this year I’ll be making an exception. My new year’s resolution for 2018 will be to control my destructive tendency to overthink.
As of lately I seem to be doing it more often, or maybe I’m just finally recognising that I’m doing it? Either way, it needs to stop!
It’s as if any time that I’m left unoccupied my brain switches into analytical mode and I proceed to dissect every teeny tiny detail about whichever topic happens to be at the forefront of my mind at that particular moment. But it’s never constructive or beneficial, it’s just draining and frustrating. Because I go round and round in circles, asking question after question and then answering each one myself until I’ve successfully dug a hole so deep that I can’t get out of it! And what’s the result? I’m inconsolably miserable. And I don’t want to be miserable!
As my mum often tells me, overthinking creates a problem that didn’t exist in the first place. It’s such a hugely unproductive waste of time, and time is precious, so I’m done wasting it.
As of this moment I will do my level best to acknowledge when I’m starting to overthink and then remind myself that it’s not helpful in any way. I’ll try to focus on being productive and seeking out a solution, whether that means taking action or adjusting my attitude/mindset. I’ll question whether the given topic requires as much thought as I’m giving it or whether I’m just being dramatic and exaggerating the severity of the issue. I’ll attempt to control my breathing, because as bizarre as it may sound, that really does help! And last but not least, I’ll try to channel all that excess energy that I have into getting up and being active instead (we shall see how that one goes).
Wish me luck!
Just A Small Town Girl... 
best of luck to you –
Good luck for 2018. My remedy is to stay occupied so that I don’t have time to sweat the small stuff. Apart from that, breathing deeply 4-5 times and counting backwards helps.
I, too, struggle with that and feel the burden of the time suck it is. Sometimes I obsess on that (over-analyzing my tendency to over-analyze…how meta!).
I look forward to reading about what you try, and what works. I still need lots of work in this area.
Best of luck to you.may I suggest meditating when you start to overthink things? it’s not perfect but it really seems to help calm the nerves down. I’m very proud of you for doing something about this if you see it as a weakness! That’s fantastic!
From one over thinker to another, good luck! 😀