How to Stop Overthinking

Overthinking/obsessing on an issue is not going to help us make better decisions because we are still deciding from the same level of thinking we were at yesterday and the day before that.
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Overthinking is a byproduct of trying to control. The "human" part of our being believes that we can think our way to safety and resolution when in fact, it is a combination of our left (thinking) brain and our right (intuitive/creative) brain that we form the best decisions and conclusions for our lives.

In my coaching, I get asked repeatedly how to stop overthinking. My answer is always the same... meditation. Most often, this is not the answer that the person wants to hear because again, the minds want to "control" and meditation means stepping away from control and quieting the mind through letting go. Meditation allows for stillness and in stillness we hear. This is not to say that we don't need to think. It simply means we learn how to think more productively and effectively.

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When I went through a horrific period in my life journey I refer to as, "My Tsunami," I soon realized that no amount of overthinking was going to bring me through my situation any faster or more successfully. If anything, it was only perpetuating the massive anxiety I was already feeling.

Overthinking/obsessing on an issue is not going to help us make better decisions because we are still deciding from the same level of thinking we were at yesterday and the day before that. Factually, human beings repeat 95 percent of the same exact thoughts daily. There is virtually no new information coming in. How can we do differently if we don't know any differently?

I began to recognize this and decided that I needed to calm my mind (hence, calm my emotions) so I could find clarity and peace in order to "hear" any new information/guidance that could potentially move me up and out of the quandary I was in. But first, I needed to release the anxiety I was feeling in order to open my mind and heart.

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When our minds are calm and clear, our hearts are open and we can actually see/feel/hear our guidance and messages more readily. We stop trying to manage our lives as an equation that needs to be solved and instead, we join the natural flow and grace of life.

Being individual aspects of Source, we have a connection to our Higher Selves available to us all day long. However, we cannot hear or reach our Higher Self, when we are scattered and mottled with overthinking and emotion.

Part of teaching ourselves to stop overthinking is to understand and trust the following principal:

A cluttered mind is too full to receive anything else. We must first remove the clutter in order to allow better serving information to enter by connecting with our creative mind, our inspiration and our intuition.

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All decisions made through connection and consciousness are higher serving for all involved than decisions made through fear and control. Once we start our practice and observe how our lives begin to flow more easily, meditation and spiritual connection oftentimes shifts from a low priority to a high one!

For related articles, information about Kristen's work or her new book From Doormat To Sweet Empowerment -- A spiritual guide to reclaiming your personal power in relationships and life -- please visit:
www.kristenbrown.org

This article was originally posted on www.personaldevelopmentcafe.com without pictures.

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