We all struggle with the endless ups and downs of life; it’s human nature to isolate ourselves and think we’re alone in our experiences. Doing your best to stay positive is something certainly easier said than done. Certain events in life may bring forth negative thinking patterns that, when given the right opportunity, can wreak havoc on our lives. Reflection is great and healthy, however worrying too much about the past or the future can lead to negative emotions and thoughts. We might find that as soon as one bad thing happens, we associate it with other negative feelings and experiences things that have happened in our lives; it’s a miserable pattern at best.
It’s self destructive .
If you find yourself in these situations more often than you’d like, you are what scientists call a ruminator (or in other words, an over-thinker). This state of over thinking could actually be detrimental to your health, spanning over both mental and physical horizons. Holding and generating these negative feelings can be detrimental to human performance, leading to mental conditions like anxiety and depression.
Personally, I know how it feels to over-analyse life’s bits and pieces; I know how it feels to be miserable and somewhat depressed. It sucks; a lot. Nobody deserves that; to feel burdened and overwhelmed by forces seemingly out of their control, tides turned against them. But there are ways to get around these negative feelings and thought patterns; there is a way to power-through these times of confusion, over-reflection, and doubt.
These hurtful patterns won’t stop unless you put the dedication and effort into helping yourself. Based on scientific research and my own personal experiences and research, I’ve have found that these next 8 ways will drastically help you stop over thinking and just live life knowing there are going to be negative events, but you’ll be able to get through them both sane, productive and happy.
1) Accept that you have a problem with over-thinking.
This encompasses the healing process and will help you forgive yourself. Most people probably aren’t aware your brain is actually wired to make over thinking a natural tendency; it helps reinforce rational thought and create a pool of thoughtful answers to act upon. Our thoughts are knitted together like a web instead of layered on top of one another. The imagery might not make total sense; I aware! But once you become more aware of this you can begin to solve the underlying issue. This is usually the first step in all healing processes; realization, reflection and acceptance.
2) Breathe more.
For me, this was the best thing that helped me through this same exact process. Breathing will relax you, calm you, connect you to the present moment and ground you to the world around you Taking three big breaths in through my nose and out through my mouth. This helps reconnect yourself with reality; you’d be surprised how often we lose our connection to reality and get caught up too deeply in remembrance. The world is in the present, ever changing; don’t get left behind in the past (or the future, for that matter).
3) Get active and stay busy.
Let the energy out and have fun! Physical activity actually provides enough absorption to pull you out of negative thinking and back into a state of flowing (floating) with life. It’s proven that exercise helps improve focus, productivity and, of course, your health (mental and physical).
4) Be mindful.
This takes some practice. Being able to live in the present moment and take each second at a time is one of the essential pillars of life; it’s valuing each second that passes by for what it is and realizing the life is precious and important. Lao Tzu once said: “If you are depressed you are living in the past, if you are anxious you are living in the future, and if you are at peace you are living in the present.” A great way to kick this into gear is to mediate and relax, breaking free of heavy thoughts. This clears your mind and presents a calm and an ‘at one feeling’ with the universe.
5) Surrender to the universe.
Don’t try to control every aspect of life; let life flow. In reality, we have little to no control over the unfolding of events before us, at least not from the conscious standpoint that our worrying will directly impact the outcome in the way we want. Surrender does not mean giving up; It means you are willing to go with the flow of the current instead of trying to swim against it and getting repeatedly bashed into the rocks. Surrender is a form of release and a form of peace. It means you are willing to trust that everything will work out as it’s supposed to.
6) Your thoughts create your own reality.
Our thoughts actually do shape our reality through influencing our actions and expectations; it a way, they can affect what we see in front of us. The more you worry about something, the more you’ll begin to attract that exact same energy you are worried about! Jimmy Ohm always says: “Worrying is a misuse of creative energy.” Focus on important things, but don’t forget the more you worry, the worse your outlook will become.
You have all the tools to be positive and create a life that you want. Live each day one at a time, be thankful for this life you have. Be patient, take the time to find inner peace in each present moment no matter if its negative or positive.
