“I've lived through some terrible things in my life, some of which actually happened.”
Mark Twain.
HOW many of us would agree with Twain? Sometimes our heads can be like washing machines.
Mindfulness practice allows us the opportunity to slow down to take our foot off the accelerator and experience this moment for the first time.
The most important thing is what’s happening now. Are we present or are we time travelling into the future or ruminating about the past?
Overthinking. We all have the tendency to overthink about things in life. It’s a common fact that human beings tend to struggle with whenever we experience something new, daring or different. Overthinking is the most prevalent behaviour when we face insecurities relating to work challenges, relationships, struggles, health issues, or pretty much anything in life. It is a single hurdle that stops us from making a decision and fearing commitment and the reality of things. Now, overthinking may also be a common struggle for people who takes forever to decide what to eat, dress, or play. Some may overthink more frequently than others but the premise is that overthinking is a daily mental fight.
One of my biggest struggles is overthinking at work. Every action must be guided through a lengthy thinking process. Will my opinion be heard or valued by the senior management?
Will I sound stupid in front of others? Perhaps I should think deeper before pitching a new idea? Maybe I should play it safe and remain silent. Far too often, my thoughts and opinions are not voiced out and I leave each meeting with a slight regret.
Over time, I have realised that my mind likes to play games with myself. The solution is to let go of these doubts and insecurities by instilling confidence through a range of different brain exercises.
• Gain trust and respect for your own decisions.
Every opinion matters, including yours. Nothing is deemed wrong if you are able to support your decision with logic and reasons. Trust yourself to make the right choice. Let trust beget confidence and confidence beget strength.
• Think and act at the moment.
Overthinking incurs when you consider a range of factors and thinking too long-term about the consequences and results. You let the surroundings affect your train of thought. You try hard to widen your perspective and then you end up not making a decision at all because it is already too late.
There aren’t many second chances in life. So act now. Replace thinking with doing. Be proactive and create a habit of doing things for this moment and worry later. Your moment is now.
• Meditate to understand your thinking process.
Stop controlling your thoughts. Instead, listen to the flow of thoughts. Be the bystander of your thoughts and observe how restless your mind is. Just let it be and acknowledge the change in behaviour as you let the thoughts come and go.
