5 Unusually Simple Steps to Conquer Overthinking
Break free from self-limiting beliefs
Do you ever find yourself trapped in a cycle of overthinking, replaying past events, or worrying about future possibilities?
If so, you’re not alone. Overthinking is a common problem that can affect anyone, regardless of age, background, or intelligence.
But what if I told you there were a few simple steps you could take to break free from this cycle and take back control of your thoughts?
Here are 5 simple ways to conquer overthinking:
1. Embrace the Future Opportunities
Steve Harvey once said, “You can’t drive forward if you keep looking in the rearview mirror. That’s why the windshield is huge, so look forward.”
But it’s easier said than done because we all are drawn to the past, thinking about ways we could have done things differently. The truth is, you couldn’t have.
In the past, you were a different person with a different mindset. You made the best decisions you could with that mindset. The mistakes you made shaped your present and changed you.
Similarly, our decisions now are based on who we are currently, not who we will become. Focus on the possibilities that lie ahead rather than being weighed down by past issues.
Even the smallest changes can lead to extensive outputs if given time. And the slightest deviation between two straight lines can significantly alter their course.
There’s a commonly used saying in India, which is said by the Poet Vrind, who was born in 1643.
“Practicing little by little makes you wiser. Even a rope can leave a mark, when it rubs over and over against a well’s wall.”
The saying is in Hindi language, but that’s what it implies.
2. Conquer Fear with the First Step
After experiencing failures in various aspects of life, I became too scared to start anything new. I had developed a self-image as someone who wouldn’t finish what they started.
Again and again, my fear stopped me from taking the first step. I realized that I was planning to fail. Instead of finding ways to make anything work, I was thinking how a lot of my time would be wasted if I pursued something because I was sure that I could not succeed.
Mark Zuckerberg once said, “The biggest risk is not taking any risk… In a world that’s changing really quickly, the only strategy that is guaranteed to fail is not taking risks.”
There will never be a perfect situation to do what you want to do. You may feel the time has not come yet, or it has already gone. And I assure you, you are wrong in both cases.
The time is now. Don’t let the fear of the unknown restrict your progress. Take the initial step, even if the entire path is unclear.
3. Avoid the Trap of Overthinking
Thinking again and again about complex relationships, businesses or health issues is paralyzing. But it doesn’t have to be.
Think of it like solving a complex math problem like multiplying 3384 with 2967 in your mind. If you can’t solve it even after trying multiple times, which most people can’t, you won’t be disappointed.
You’ll just find a paper, write it down, and solve it.
The same goes for the complex feelings that we try to solve in our heads. It becomes impossible because of the complex calculation.
You need to write your problem on a paper in detail. Cross out what you cannot control and mark what you can control. Now, prioritize the solutions and start working on themselves.
As Jeff Bezos said, “Stress primarily comes from not taking action over something that you can have some control over.”
And when you start working on something that you can control rather than overthinking what you cannot control. You feel purposeful, satisfied, and happy.
While thinking too much makes you unhappy and unsatisfied. Oftentimes we waste our time and energy worrying about things that we cannot control.
Instead, enjoy what’s good in your life now. And focus on finding solutions to the problems in our control.
4. Get Out of No-man's-land
Sometimes we become too comfortable in our uncomfortable lives.
As famous American author Tony Robbins calls it, “‘No-Man's Land,’ a place where you’re not really happy, but you’re not unhappy enough to do anything about it. That’s a dangerous place. It’s a place where people numb themselves to their dreams. It’s where they dismiss hope and accept what’s in front of them instead of driving toward what they really want in life.”
To avoid it, we need to be brave enough to conquer the fear of change, because this fear keeps us attached to our problems and stops us from making decisions that may change our present state.
Avoid becoming attached to your problems. Sometimes, letting go is easier than carrying them around.
5. Embrace New Experiences and Expand Your Horizons
Don’t let fear confine you to your comfort zone. You cannot learn to swim by just sitting at the edge of the pool. You have to go through the discomfort of learning and let go of the fear that’s keeping you on the shore.
The comfort zone keeps us where we feel safe and secure. But if you want to make a positive change in your life, you have to step out of it because that’s where you get new experiences and expand your horizons.
Choose your discomforts before discomforts choose you.
- Choose to exercise before the diseases choose you.
- Choose the discipline before the regrets choose you.
- Choose to prioritize learning before ignorance catches up with you.
- Choose to practice kindness before regrets catch up with you.
- Choose to save money before financial struggles catch up with you.
- Choose clear communication before misunderstandings catch up with you.
Conclusion
Life really gets interesting when you take that step beyond what you’re used to.
Sometimes, we get so used to saying “I can’t,” that we hamper our true potential and we ruin our self-image.
We become a person in our own mind who is unable to get things done. And our self-image plays one of the most important factors in our successes and failures in life.
So, let’s learn from this and not be afraid to try new things, even if it feels a bit uncomfortable at first.
Step outside your boundaries and discover your true potential.
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