Since this post is about overthinking, I’m going to keep it simple and clear.
There are only two things you need to do right now.
1 – Overthinking is caused by fear: Fear of screwing up, fear of being judged, fear of being less than perfect.
Step out of the fear overwhelm right now using this technique from the Mind Rescue Kit:
- Stop what you’re doing and stand up. (your physiology is linked to your emotional state, so begin by changing it)
- Now go to a window and look at the sky. (If it’s daytime, sunlight will begin to lift your mood. If it’s night, the physiology of looking upward will start to reduce the ‘feeling’ component of your ongoing experience. If you haven’t got any windows, that’s 95% of your problem right there)
- Then take some time to notice how blue the sky is. (if the sky is cloudy or if it’s night, just remember that the sky is blue somewhere and think of it. Blue skies tend to have a positive feeling associated with them for most people)
Yes, it’s simple and as a result, many of you will be tempted to ignore or dismiss this as an effective course of action. It is, however, a course of action – you can just do it and it will make a positive difference.
Will it make you endlessly blissful and carefree? No. Will it help enough to lift your mood? Yes.
2 – The second thing I want you to do is look for the simple beauty in everyday experiences – and just experience and enjoy it uncritically.
Sounds weird, right? A bit huggy-feely? Not at all.
You see, most people look without really seeing – seeing like an artist does. Artists try to see the world as it actually is, rather than how they expect it to be. For example, are trees really brown sticks with green stuff on them? Next time you look – really look – at a tree, you’ll notice something different.
This will slow your mind to a manageable tempo and get you out of your head – you’re enjoying these experiences uncritically, remember? Just soaking them up, rather than classifying them, or worrying that you’re somehow not doing something exactly right. There’s no right or wrong way to just be in an experience, with your senses open.
When you do this, sometimes surprising, wonderful things happen.
If you do these two things, you’ll feel better and have enough time and thinking space to enjoy your life.
