Many of us struggle to manage our thinking and find ourselves overwhelmed by racing thoughts, reliving things we wish we could do over, or facing the fear of making a wrong decision. Frustration can peak as overthinking and worry lead us nowhere nearer to a solution for our problems. Thankfully, there are strategies we can use for combating overthinking and anxiety, such as:
1. Be Self-Aware
Recognize and even write down when you experience overthinking and what those thoughts are. Note events or times of day that troubling thought patterns tend to occur. Ask yourself if a thought is helpful or not and choose a constructive thought (“What can I learn from this situation or about myself?”).
2. Focus on Now
Engage in an activity that brings your focus to the here and now, such as breathing exercises (e.g., the 4-7-8 breathing technique), grounding techniques (e.g., the 5-4-3-2-1 method), or spending time in nature intentionally taking in your surroundings.
3. Question Yourself
Play detective and sleuth out whether troubling thoughts are founded in fact or perception. Ask yourself, “If I were listening to these concerns from a friend, what would I tell them?” Play the optimist, “What if everything actually turns out okay?”, because a positive outcome is an option too!
4. Be Intentional
Schedule 10 minutes a day to overthink. Engaging in therapy with a mental health provider could be another way for setting aside dedicated time to address overthinking or worry while also getting support in managing those thoughts.
5. Be Mindful
Limit negative media, be inspired by people you admire, and combat comparison to others. Seek out helpful resources such as apps offering mindfulness exercises like meditation, guided visualization, and progressive muscle relaxation (e.g., Headspace, Calm, Smiling Mind).
6. Take Action
Simply taking a small step towards a solution can break the cycle of overthinking and boost confidence. Doing something actionable to change a situation can instill a mindset of what can be learned and where can life go, rather than passively accepting how life is happening.
7. Seek Support
Putting new habits into practice can be hard. It can be helpful to have the support of a trained mental health professional to help us recognize the changes we need to make, to see situations from a new perspective, and/or to help us cope when we feel overwhelmed. If you feel you would benefit from trained support, our providers would be happy to walk with you on your journey.
Even in times where it can seem like life is happening to you, there are aspects of your thinking, your behavior, and your environment that you can influence or control. The choice is yours… what will you do?!
Kimberly Sitter, Ph.D.
Licensed Psychologist