How to Stop Overthinking and Live in the Present Moment
Sometimes our mind keeps thinking
too much. We think about things that has happened to us before or things that
are going to happen in the future. And this is what is called overthinking. My
journey as an overthinking person was itself a long one. I always thought that
I was being forgetful or indecisive. But then I realised that my brain was
constantly on. I would overthink every move, replay every interaction, weighing
every possible outcome.
It can eventually make us feel
too drained, and exhausted. Later on, I realised what I was dealing with was
cognitive fatigue. I know many people go through this, most of my clients come
up with this most common problem of overthinking. Sometimes, you’re not just
thinking about your needs, you’re tracking every one else’s too. And trying not
to let anyone down in this process. We might start feeling like we are making
what feels like a million decisions a day. Big ones, small ones, painful
emotional ones, angry ones, and it’s all nonstop. Many people go through this,
it makes them feel unhappy, tired and always ending up feeling too overwhelmed.
And we start wondering why we forget things, why we feel foggy and clouded all
the time.
Being a chronic over
thinker, can make you feel like your
constantly trying to please people at the expense of your own emotions. That
critical voice inside your head telling you that you’re not good enough.
Analysing each and every dialogue that a person says.
And this is why we say our brain
is a storyteller. And sometimes it tells stories that aren’t true. It takes a
passing comment and turns it into rejection. It takes silence and turns it into
imagined words. It takes a single mistake and turns it into something
unbearable.
But here’s the truth, not
everything is as deep as your mind makes it seem. Not every overplayed memory
is proof that you’re unworthy. Your brain might be loud, but it is not always
right. Overthinking is the art of creating problems that don’t exist. Sometimes
the best decision is to stop thinking and just go with the flow. Your thoughts
are powerful, but they’re not always true. Thoughts are just thoughts but they
don’t define who we are. Stop worrying about what could possibly go wrong, and
start being excited about what could go right. You won’t always have all the
answers. And that’s okay.
If we want to feel better and
enjoy life more, we need to learn how to stay present in the moment and just
enjoy the little things. One thing that can help us, is by simply noticing what
is happening around us right now. We can look at the sky, feel the wind, touch
things in our surroundings, listen to the sounds near us, and be mindful of
living in the moment. These tiny things can actually make us stay connected to
the present moment.
Taking slower deeper breaths can
also help. Try to notice the sensations that start to arise in your body as you
breathe more deeply. Try to see if anything needs your attention, for example,
a tight chest, a sore heart or a strange feeling in your tummy. Instead of
running away from these sensations, or coming back into your head. See if you
can stay with how they feel and try to be with it and give those sensations a
little bit of attention.
Breathing slowly and mindfully
gives us a calm feeling and a little space from busy thoughts.
Instead of visualising worst case
scenarios, try to visualise what you can control. Instead of suppressing your
emotions, you can try to start releasing them. Try to talk them out, feel them
or cry them out.
Getting into a habit of
journaling or brain dumping can make our minds feel a lot more lighter. Now
this one really helps, you can just let all of it out, write down everything
that comes across into your mind and then cross out things that don’t need your
attention right now or things that you can’t control.
Small things like talking to a
friend, watching our favourite movie, walking, cooking, all of this can make
our mind feel distracted and help us to be mindful of being in the present
moment. These things may look small, but can add peace and joy to our day.
Your overthinking isn’t actually preparing you, but it’s paralysing you. The future remains unwritten,no matter how many drafts our mind creates. So try to focus on what’s real, what’s now and what’s actually within your power to change.
Written By- Ms. Shofila Zameer K - Consultant Psychologist (Mindmaris Counsellors India Pvt)
