5 Ways Overthinking Complicates Life, And 5 Ways To Stop

Have you ever spent too much time thinking about something? When you put too much focus on your problems, life gets more stressful. Thinking too much, leads to a cluttered mind. Overthinking complicates life.

Overthinking is usually rooted in fear and uncertainty. How many times have you had any of the following thoughts?

  • I wonder if they’ll like my presentation?
  • How will I ever pay those bills?
  • Does he/she really like me?
  • What if I can’t get the project done on time?
  • I can’t believe I just did that.

All of these thoughts and many others that you might obsess over are fear-based thoughts. Too much thinking doesn’t allow you to truly solve problems. It doesn’t give you the freedom you need to be positive and productive. It locks you into an anxiety mode and steals your happiness.

Overthinking Is A Form Of Clutter

If you want a more simple life, stop thinking too much. Here are some ways overthinking complicates your life:

  1. It causes worry: When we overthink, we worry. Worry is not productive. Worry doesn’t solve problems. It only increases our stress. Stress complicates life.
  2. It’s a waste of time: Worry is a waste of time. We’ve all spent time worried about something insignificant only to wish we’d just let it go. Sometimes we lose hours, even days of quality time.
  3. It kills creativity: It’s true that creative solutions take some thought. My own experience has been that creative ideas usually come quickly. Overthinking will keep you stuck. 
  4. It makes you overemotional: When we dwell on a problem or a situation, we often get frustrated, angry, or even hateful. Those negative emotions are physically and psychologically damaging. You might also tick other people off. 
  5. It steals your energy: Overthinking causes worry and guilt. That drains your positive energy. You might find yourself dragging and feeling unmotivated. That can lead to depression.

How Can You Stop Overthinking?

Quitting overthinking is like changing a bad habit. You need to replace the negative thoughts with something else. Here are some simple ways to quit thinking too much:

  1. Be aware of your thoughts: Catching your negative thoughts and emotions is key. If you know when you’re overthinking, you can work on change.   
  2. Think of what’s right and good: When we dwell on the bad, nothing good comes of it. Try thinking about what’s right with your situation rather than what’s wrong with it. 
  3. Don’t expect perfection: If you’re a perfectionist, get over it. No one is perfect. I found that once I gave up perfectionism, I was able to get much more done with much less frustration. 
  4. Let go of FEAR: Stop imaging the worse. FEAR is simply False Expectations Appearing Real. When you let go of those false expectation you’ll be able to move forward.
  5. Be grateful for what you have: It could be worse. There are thousands of people in much worse situations than you. Be thankful for the positive things in your life. When you’re thankful, it’s hard to be worried.

Stop Overthinking And Start Living Today

Once you stop overthinking, you’ll find that life becomes less stressful. You’ll have more energy. You’ll be able to take positive steps to push forward through your problems. 

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Dan Erickson
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