Have you ever found yourself replaying conversations in your mind, wishing you could have prevented upset with a loved one? Or perhaps you’ve had imaginary discussions with someone close to you, hoping to achieve a desired outcome. Maybe you’ve even caught yourself overthinking a situation that hasn’t even happened yet, simply out of fear that it might not go the way you want it to.
Everyone does it to some degree or another.
There are a few reasons why we tend to overthink various aspects of our lives, such as situations, events, relationships, projects, and the world around us. Allow me to shed some light on them:
- A history of volatility – and so we try to prevent it by overthinking.
- Sub-optimal outcomes: Negative past experiences in areas like love, finances, and health can make us hyper-vigilant and fearful of repeating those experiences.
- Illusion of control: We often believe that by planning, strategizing, and analyzing every detail, we can create a more predictable and peaceful outcome.
However, it’s important to recognize that when we come from a place of fear, our thoughts are limited to the resources of our brain and our past experiences. Additionally, the fear itself becomes a magnetic force that keeps us stuck in old patterns.
It is not until we make our little robotic way of thinking, super uninteresting that some freedom is created.
The fastest path to answers, solutions and new pathways to expansiveness is to focus in the direction of creativity, fun, friends, puppies and whatever floats your boat……not necessarily on the subject that you are challenged by. It’s about redirecting yourself deliberately in the direction of something expansive even if it means taking a nap or getting a good night’s sleep.
Create space when you feel desperate, and don’t take any action until your energy is aligned. Remember, finding this alignment can take time—perhaps a day or even a week. So be patient with yourself.
