Many individuals seeking adult mental health services around Minnesota know how easy it is to overthink. Especially in light of COVID-19 and spending an increasing amount of time isolated from the “norm,” getting in our own heads is especially easy.
Getting overly caught up in the cycle of “what-ifs” can be extremely taxing on your mental health. In fact, our brains are naturally hardwired to focus on negative experiences over positive experiences, so overthinking is a natural impulse. However, this is an energy-consuming approach that is ultimately counterproductive to our daily lives.
Here are some tips to minimize overthinking in the upcoming months.
Take 10 Minutes to Observe Your Thoughts
Sometimes, we are too close to our own thoughts to think clearly. Try to take 10 minutes per day to observe your thoughts from an outside perspective. Slowly inhale and exhale to gain control of your breathing and notice the thoughts that naturally come to mind.
If a thought sticks with you, take note of this and return to your breathing. Addressing the potentially stressful thought and choosing to return to your breathing can help you feel confident in your ability to navigate negative thoughts.
Divide & Conquer Any Worries
Some worries in life revolve around tasks that we can control such as a large work project. Other worries, such as stressing about situations that you cannot control, can linger and be more difficult to control.
Any worries that revolve around a tangible problem should focus on a problem-solving solution. For example, if you have a stressful work pitch coming up, practice going through your presentation in small chunks to make it less stressful.
If you have generalized worries about things outside of your control, practice your reaction to the problem instead of worrying about it happening. If you feel confident in your ability to react with a level head, you’ll gain more control.
Live Your Life
Eliminating anxiety completely from your life is not a realistic mindset. Instead, continue to focus your energy on what makes you happy. Whether you love being creative through creating art or you thrive on spending time with your family, do what makes you happy.
Our adult mental health services in Minnesota are designed to help you live the fullest, happiest version of your life. Please get in touch with us if you’re interested in scheduling a consultation.
