Overthinking

As far as I see it, overthinking is the key to stress; it is one of those things that keeps you unhappy. It took me quite some time and a whole lot of heartache to beat overthinking and just take things in stride and master the art of “It Is What It Is”… nothing more, and nothing less.

I’m going to share what I learned with you in the hope that it helps.

1. The problem is rarely the problem!

We always seem to exaggerate the problem to more than what it really is. Our thoughts about the problem do more harm than the reality of it. Most the time, it is not a problem at all, it is the way we think about it. And from my own meandering experience, I learned that every problem holds the key to its own solution.

2. Don’t give in to self-rejection.

Don’t think you’ll get a reply on that email? Send it anyway.

Don’t think you deserve this opportunity? Go for it anyway.

Don’t think this article is good enough? Publish it anyway. (Heck! I’ve done it a million times 😁)

Never overthink yourself into self-rejection. In the great words of Rocky Balboa, “it is you against you.”

3. Silence and time.

This too shall pass. The truth is, most problems aren’t solved with more thinking, they’re solved with less. Silence was always a source of inspiration for me. A place to clear my mind and find the answers I’ve been looking for. If you can’t solve the problem, stop trying to; get your mind off of things and the answer will come to you.

4. An important question.

When you start criticizing yourself for past mistakes and seeing disaster at every corner, ask yourself this question: “is there anything I can do right now to change the past or to positively influence the future?”

If yes, do it. If no, let it go. Your next move is binary, either do something or let it go… anything else is a road to self-destruction.

5. No time like the present.

I once read a book called The Power of Now. The book, written by Eckhart Tolle, conveys simple wisdom that, to me, transcends religion or doctrine. You cannot overthink your way for a better past, or future! All you have is here and now… make peace with yesterday, let go of tomorrow, and grab hold of now.

6. Keep things factual.

Your thoughts will create scenarios in your mind that reflect your own insecurities, fears, and worries. It is crucial that you fact-check everything because when things go sideways, your thoughts play tricks on you and tell you stories you want to hear, but aren’t true. A reality check is always helpful.

7. Acceptance is peacefulness.

All the anxiety in the world will not change the future… same as all the regret in the world will not change the past. Embrace the imperfection and the uncertainty and accept the uncontrollable. Remember, you don’t have to understand, tolerate, forget, or even agree with anything; but if you want peace, you must learn to accept what you cannot change.

8. Real health starts in the mind.

You can go to the gym, eat healthy, do yoga, etc. etc. but if you don’t confront the negativity in your thoughts head-on, you’ll never be healthy. Our health is not only measured in the physical sense; true health is measured by the quality of our thoughts and the peacefulness of our minds… it is all in the mind my friends.

Well folks, this was my Verbal Breakdown, till the next one, keep it safe, keep it real, and keep it simple.

Ralph

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