Nutshells / Why We Think The Things We Think

What is holding people back from the life that they truly want to live? I’d say that one very common and destructive thing is that they think too much.

They overthink every little problem until it becomes bigger and scarier and it actually is. Overthink positive things until they don’t look so positive anymore.

Now, thinking things through can be a great thing of course. But being an overthinker can result in becoming someone who stands still in life. In becoming someone who self-sabotages the good things that happen in life. I know. I used to overthink things a lot and it held me back in ways that weren’t fun at all. But in the past 2 years or so I have learned how to make this issue so small that it very rarely pops up anymore. And if it does then I know what to do then to overcome it. In this article I would like to share 8 habits that have helped me in a big, big way to become a simpler and smarter thinker and to live a happier and less fearful life.

1. Put things into a wider perspective.

It is very easy to fall into the trap of overthinking minor things in life. So when you are thinking and thinking about something ask yourself: Will this matter in 5 years? Or even in 5 weeks? The perspective by using this simple question can snap me quickly out and focus my time and energy on something that actually does matter to me.

2. Set short time-limits for decisions.

If you do not have a time-limit for when you must make a decision and take action then you can just keep turning your thoughts around and around and view them from all angles in your mind for a very long time. So learn to become better at making decisions.

3. Become a person of action.

Setting deadlines is one thing that have helped me to become much more of person of action. Taking small steps forward and only focusing on getting one small step done at a time is another habit that have worked really well.

4. Realize that you cannot control everything.

Trying to think things through 50 times can be a way to try to control everything. To cover every eventuality so you do not risk making a mistake, fail or looking like a fool.

So stop trying to control everything. Trying to do so simply doesn’t work because no one can see all possible scenarios in advance.

5. Say stop in situation where you know you cannot think straight.

Sometimes when I am hungry, angry or when I am lying in bed and are about to go to sleep negative thoughts start buzzing around in my mind. In the past they could do quite a bit of damage. Nowadays I have become good at catching them quickly and to say to myself: " No, no, we are not going to think about this now. "

I know that when I am hungry or sleepy, specially when i'm mad then my mind sometimes tend to be vulnerable to not thinking clearly and to negativity.

6. Do not get lost in vague fears.

I have gotten lost in vague fears about a situation in my life. And so my mind running wild has created disaster scenarios about what could happen if I do something. So I have learned to ask myself: honestly, what is the worst that could happen? And when I have figured out what the worst that could happen actually is then I can also spend a little time to think about what I can do if that often pretty unlikely thing happens.

7. Work out.

This might sound a bit odd. But by all means get up and start moving.

for me I swam my way up

8. Spend more of your time in the present moment.

By being in the present moment in your everyday life rather than in the past or a possible future in your mind you can replace more and more of the time you usually spend on overthinking things with just being here right now instead.

* Slow down.

* Tell yourself : Now I am ...

* Disrupt and reconnect.

Do you feel you'll need it, don't drag yourself down by making a mind mess out of things.

START LIVING

XOXO

luka