It’s human nature to overthink. We are afraid to make the wrong decisions, so we try to take control by overthinking. Unfortunately, overthinking doesn’t guarantee that we make the right decision; if anything, it can cause stress and anxiety, so we have to find a way to stop overthinking and start living.
Here are five steps to help you stop overthinking and start living today!
1. Let go of perfection.
Perfection doesn’t exist, so why waste energy on trying to achieve something that isn’t possible? Teach yourself that good is okay too.
If you are an overachiever this may take some time, but little steps add up to big progress. Something that has helped me a lot is making a mistake on purpose and seeing what happens. Nobody gets angry, the world is still spinning and nobody thinks less of me.
2.Set a deadline.
If you have a tough decision to make, set yourself a deadline. A deadline stops you from overthinking, you give yourself time and that’s it, be strict; the shorter the deadline the better.
3. Start living in the here and now.
It’s okay to have goals and a plan for the future, but today is important too. The future will happen, no matter how much you overthink. Make sure you don’t miss your life by looking ahead and focus on what’s going on today.
The same goes for the past, we can’t change the past no matter how much we overthink mistakes we made. Find a way to forgive yourself and move on.
A meditation exercise like a body scan is a great tool to stay in the here and now and get out of your head, back in your body.
4. Allow yourself to have fun
Having fun is just as important as work and responsibilities. We need to wind down after a busy day, or we risk burn-out. If it’s hard for you to have fun, try to schedule ‘fun’ time, you’ll see it will go easier once you see the benefits.
5. Write down your worries
Writing down your worries can help you to stop overthinking. Every time you feel stress about something, or you experience a thought that keeps bugging you, write it down. At the end of the day look at all your worries and reflect on them.
- Do I have control over this situation? If Yes, what can I do right now to fix this?
- If no, tell yourself it’s outside your control and there is no point worrying about it.
Give yourself a maximum of 10-15 minutes to reflect on your worries. When the time is up, focus on other things. If you start to worry again, tell yourself you have used up your minutes for today and refocus on what you were doing.
Download the free worry no more workbook!
Write your worries away, stop overthinking so you can start living the life you want!
Final thoughts
We often think we have more control than we actually do, so we worry and hope we can somehow influence the outcome, but we can’t always control what we want. We have some control, but we are also dependent on others, life, and more.
When things are out of your control, you have to find a way to cope with the feelings or yourisk stress and burn-out. The Worry no more workbook can help you reflect on your worries and find ways for you to cope with your thoughts. This workbook helps you stop worrying and start living!
Kim is a psychology student passionate about sharing personal development and mental health tips. On her blog Miss Mental, Kim writes about self-care, self-growth and mental health. She also make illustrations to share positive vibes with the world and an awesome free resource library waiting for you. Be sure to head over and show her some love.
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We often think we have more control than we actually do, so we worry and hope we can somehow influence the outcome, but we can’t always control what we want. When things are out of your control, you have to find a way to cope with the feelings or you risk stress and burn-out. The Worry no more workbook can help you reflect on your worries and find ways for you to cope with your thoughts. Click to get your free workbook today. #stressless #freeworkbook #livefully #mindfulness
We often think we have more control than we actually do, so we worry and hope we can somehow influence the outcome, but we can’t always control what we want. When things are out of your control, you have to find a way to cope with the feelings or you risk stress and burn-out. The Worry no more workbook can help you reflect on your worries and find ways for you to cope with your thoughts. Click to read and get your free workbook today. #stressless #freeworkbook #livefully #mindfulness
Thank you for writing the article. It was very helpful.
Lovely post, Lisa. I also think it’s good to remember that ….so what if you choose wrong? Failing is part of the process. So many people are afraid to choose and then have regret but there really are no mistakes. Thanks for sharing. I’m reading this in the AM and it’s starting my day out right.
I must say these are all great tips.
These are all great tips!
This a very timely reading for me as I overthink and worry what the future holds for myself and my family. Blogging and writing help me overcome this anxiety. And it also helps that I have a husband who listens when I need someone to talk to.
I wish I was better at letting things go, I know so many people that are but I am not. However I am not sure letting things go has been a good thing for society as a whole, we have a lot of really complacent people out their right now, as seen in the job markets, LOL!
I still have not gotten any better at this but it was so worth re reading and taking stock again.
I am a terrible overthinker! I really do always think the worst in situations which is a habit I would love to get out of. I agree that letting go of perfection would be a great step to take.
Thank you for sharing these tips! I think asking myself if I’ve things under control and let go if there is nothing I can do about them is what I’ve to work on. It would help me to worry so much less…thanks!
Journeyofsmiley.com
Great post! I agree that we aren’t in control of the outcome a lot of the time. The only things we can control is our reactions, how we see the challenges, and the steps we take to move forward.
The idea of writing out your worries is excellent … a powerful way to reflect, draw upon our inner wisdom and let go of things we can’t change
What a great post Lisa! We all should just stop thinking and lower the need for control. It’s difficult but you give great examples of how to change our mindsets.
It’s my first instinct to overthink but I’ve never gotten good results from it and I know it needs to stop. Thanks for these tips!