Written by: Tajana Velikinac, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
Overall thinking is a bad habit. When we think too much about something, we start losing productivity and we can lose our opinion and don't know what we want and what is good for us.
Some big, important life decisions take time, but not too much. Also, if the decision has already been made, sometimes people also have that second guess, Did I make the right decision, could it be different, what would happen if I chose another option, etc.? Of course, each decision carries a different course of events and sometimes changes destiny and is always that different option. We always have a choice. Analysing some situations or cases in some period of time is fine, but when we focus on something and are not decisive longer period may negatively affect mental health.
We all overthink sometimes, but it is important to prevent it, to avoid making behaviour of it.
Some of the signs of overthinking are; Anxiety, Having the worst scenario in your head, Having lots of negative thoughts, Feeling mentally tired, Second-guesting your decision, etc.
Overthinking is not focusing on the solution; you are rather stuck in some problem with negative thoughts and questions like why is this happening to me? I can’t handle this anymore! Instead of focusing on the solution, all energy is in a negative state.
When we try to make some decision and analyse from all angles, taking too much time, and looking for a second opinion, it’s more likely that we are wasting our time.
How to prevent overthinking
Practice mindfulness
Mindfulness is mean being present and aware of where you are and what you do without overreacting. Try to concentrate on what you are doing at that given moment. If you are having a meal then focus on your food, on taste, and how you eat, sometimes is good to count bites and focus on chowing.
Meditate
Meditation is not clearing your mind from all negative thoughts it’s focusing on breathing and being calm. Focusing on breathing and not giving any negative thoughts attention, let them come and go.
Change negative thoughts
When we trying to make some decision or go somewhere, have a meeting, call your partner, etc., we can have this worst scenario in our head. Next time when you are stuck in this negativity ask yourself, is this real? Is this my imagination that I manifest? Do I want that to happen? How can I focus more on positive things? Similar to when you meditate even if some negative thoughts come to you, find something else more positive to focus on. Imagine beautiful flowers, sun and sea, or anything else that make you calm and happy.
Gratitude
Being grateful in everyday life can bring only more things to be grateful for. It makes us stay more positive, focusing on all goods. When some bad situation happens even if is not that important we usually share it with others and concentrate on that, but what if you do the same when something positive happens to you, it could be exchanging smiles with strangers, giving some lovely feedback to some workers in the shop, praise yourself, etc... options are endless.
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Tajana Velikinac, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Tajana is an international Empowerment Coach and motivational teacher. Teaches people about awareness and supports them in their life challenges. To be aware of yourself means to know yourself, not what others have taught you. It is a process of rewriting your unconscious mind. Love yourself means to accept yourself as you are.