How To Stop Overthinking

Have you ever found yourself lying awake at night, your mind a whirlwind of thoughts that just won’t let you be? Or do you find yourself replaying conversations from earlier in the day, dissecting every word, searching for hidden meanings that may not even exist?

If this sounds familiar, you’re in good company – this is one of the most common challenges my coaching clients struggle with!

Overthinking is often a symptom of anxiety. Our thoughts become like a tangled ball of yarn, each thread representing a worry or doubt that we desperately try to unravel, only to find ourselves more entangled.

Our brains generate an astonishing number of thoughts a day - roughly 60,000 or more. So overthinking is a shared human experience.

Keep reading to learn why we struggle with overthinking and the tools you can use to stop overthinking and move into action.

3 Reasons We Struggle with Overthinking

Why do our brains tend to overthink? While there may be many reasons, here are three common ones:

1. Habit and Efficiency

For many of us, overthinking has become part of our routines. It’s a process we’ve repeated countless times, an ingrained habit that our brains have come to expect. 

Our brains are simply following the pattern they’ve learned. It’s doing what it was designed to do. 

Within this realization lies a powerful truth: the potential for change. We can redirect this well-worn path, reshape our mental pathways, and rewire our thinking.

2. Protection

When we are overthinking, we are often under the illusion that we are protecting ourselves in some way or avoiding situations that may be harmful. By constantly analyzing situations, options, and potential outcomes, our minds are trying to anticipate challenges and prepare us for what lies ahead. 

We believe overthinking will help us make the right decision… when it is really preventing us from coming to a conclusion. 

While a certain amount of consideration and planning is important, striking a balance is key to more peace. 

3. Illusion of Responsibility

We want to make carefully considered, thorough decisions. But sometimes this good desire leads to overly extensive research and delays action..

Overthinking stalls progress and paralyzes us in endless possibilities and considerations. 

Constantly second-guessing and scrutinizing can stop us from making timely decisions and taking steps forward. True responsibility involves a balance between informed analysis and the courage to act. 

Tools To Stop Overthinking

Before offering some practical tools to help you stop overthinking, I want to remind you of an important fact: You are okay. There is nothing wrong with your brain if you find yourself overthinking. 

Have compassion for the fact your mind has been trying to protect you and help you. Release the pressure that something has to be different. Approach your overthinking from a place of compassion and curiosity.

But when you’re ready to take the next step in controlling your thoughts and cutting down on overthinking, here are some practical tools to help you:

Set a time limit

When you find yourself stuck in a thought loop about something you said or did, set a time limit instead of allowing it to follow you around all day. 

Allow yourself 10 minutes to think about it and then decide you will redirect your focus to something else. Even though your brain may want to go back to it, you have the power to shift it and intentionally focus on something else.

When making decisions, be aware of the procrastination trap - the endless cycle of researching, seeking advice, and hesitating. Give yourself a specific window of time to make the decision. Then, once you come to that decision, don’t reconsider it for a set period of time. 

Trust the wisdom that guided you initially and offer your future self the confidence to follow through on your decision.

Work on your identity

Don’t label yourself as an overthinker or an indecisive person. When you believe that is your identity, that is who you will keep being. Be aware of what you are telling yourself that you are. 

Instead, look for evidence that you are a decisive person who follows through and completes goals without overthinking things.

Thought download

We have so many thoughts in our heads that sometimes we aren’t even aware of what they are. So it can be helpful to stop what you’re doing, focus on your brain, and write down everything you think.

This will help you separate yourself from your thoughts and show that most aren’t facts. When you see everything you are thinking you can actively decide what thoughts you want to keep and which you want to let go.

Embracing Imperfection and Taking Action

When we stay in indecision and procrastination, it is often because our brain wants perfection. 

But, when we wait for the perfect moment, situation, or plan, nothing gets done. We aren’t willing to take action because we fear making mistakes.

This is a sneaky cost of overthinking - it puts a damper on our growth. We stay in the “still deciding” zone, and we feel stuck in limbo. And as for progress? It’s like we’re treading water. 

But there is a way forward: diving into action, even without having all the answers lined up perfectly. It is only by taking action that you make progress and grow.

If you want more help understanding how to stop overthinking and make progress, even when it feels uncomfortable, check out the 4-Step C.A.L.M. Anxiety Method. 

Sign up for this FREE email course to learn:

• 2 essential truths you NEED to know about anxiety and other negative emotions
• Why thinking your way out of anxiety doesn’t work
• How to retrain your brain and body to calm the anxiety response
• An in-depth look at the 4 simple steps to walk through when confronted with anxiety, overwhelm, fear, or stress

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