Welcome,
I'm Lisa from Luminance Studios and today we're going to be talking about why we overthink.
Have you ever noticed how quickly one thought can turn into another?
You might find yourself replaying a conversation,
Wondering if you said the right thing.
Or thinking about tomorrow,
Trying to prepare for every possible outcome.
Before you know it,
You've spent quite a bit of time thinking about something without feeling any closer to an answer.
This is something I think many of us can relate to.
And today I'd like to spend a few minutes talking about overthinking,
Why we do it,
And how we might begin to soften this habit.
Our minds are naturally drawn towards solving problems and anticipating what might happen next.
And much of the time that can be helpful.
But sometimes our thinking becomes repetitive.
Psychologists have studied two patterns that may sound familiar.
One is called rumination,
When we find ourselves repeatedly returning to something that has already happened.
Perhaps a conversation we wish had gone differently.
Or something we said that we're now questioning.
The other is worry,
Which often focuses on the future.
What if something goes wrong?
What if I make the wrong decision?
What if things don't work out the way I'd hoped?
Research suggests that getting caught in these repetitive thought patterns can contribute to emotional distress and make effective problem-solving more difficult.
And I find that interesting.
Because sometimes we think.
That if we just spend a little more time working through something in our minds,
We'll eventually feel better.
But that isn't always what happens.
Sometimes we mistake thinking about something for doing something about it.
And this is where mindfulness can offer us another approach.
Rather than trying to stop our thoughts,
We begin by noticing them.
There's a difference between thinking and overthinking.
Thinking can help us make a decision or take a useful next step.
Overthinking often brings us back to the same question again and again.
Perhaps you've noticed this when you're lying in bed at night.
You're physically resting,
But your mind is still working,
Trying to solve.
Trying to prepare.
Trying to find certainty.
So what can we do when we notice this happening?
One of the things I appreciate about mindfulness is that it doesn't require us to stop thinking.
Instead,
It invites us to notice what our minds are already doing.
We might gently ask ourselves.
Am I working toward a solution or am I simply going around in circles?
That small moment of awareness can give us a little space.
And in that space,
We have a choice.
If there's something useful we can do,
Perhaps we take one small step.
And if there's nothing we can do right now,
Perhaps we allow ourselves to set the concern aside for just a little while.
Not because it doesn't matter.
But because we don't have to carry every thought with us every moment of every day.
Here's something you could try.
The next time you notice your mind becoming busy.
See if you can pause for just a moment.
Feel your feet against the floor.
Notice a natural breath moving in and out.
Drop your shoulders away from your ears.
Lift the crown of the head towards the ceiling.
And remind yourself.
This is a thought.
I don't have to follow it right now.
You may find that your thoughts return almost immediately.
That's okay.
You can notice them again.
And gently return to the present.
Overthinking is a habit that many of us experience.
And learning to recognize that habit is a small,
Meaningful place to begin.
Thank you for spending these few minutes with me.
If you'd like to explore this a little further,
I invite you to join me for my guided meditation,
Calming an Overthinking Mind.
Until next time,
I hope.
You find a little breathing room in your day.
