World Mental Health Day: Expert Shares 8 Tips To Avoid Overthinking
Say toodles to overthinking!
As a creative person, I can assure you that creative people tend to overthink all the time. We always have thoughts, ideas, noise and chaos in our heads and while that’s a good thing, it also tends to tire us out because we do overthink. And it’s not just the creative people, all of us overthink. As we all know, overthinking can be a source of stress and anxiety among other things. So, how does one stop overthinking while allowing their creative thoughts space for growth? I spoke to a Certified REBT (Rational Emotive Behavioural Therapy) practitioner and counsellor to share some tips to avoid overthinking and here’s what she had to say.
“Overthinking, a trait often shared by many successful individuals, can be a double-edged sword. While it fuels their creativity and innovation, it can also become a source of distress when negative, self-sabotaging, or anxious thoughts dominate. Therefore, we must reshape our perspective on overthinking and channel it into constructive pathways,” said Pinky N.D. Kansara.
7 Tips To Avoid Overthinking
1. Redefine Overthinking
Most of us tend to avoid overthinking but our aim is not to avoid our thoughts, but rather to control and maybe even master them. Sharing the same, Pinky N.D. Kansara said, “Rather than attempting to evade overthinking, our aim should be to master and guide our thought processes. This shift empowers us to wield our cognitive capacities productively, fostering the emergence of valuable ideas while managing unhelpful ones.”
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2. Thought Management
As per the REBT practitioner, there are some simple guiding principles for cultivating mindful thought management. To begin with, one must learn to replace before they reduce. Ms. Kansara says that one should set the foundation for the reduction of overthinking by consciously substituting unhealthy thoughts with constructive, healthy ones to kickstart the transformation of thought patterns. She also suggested redirecting focus on engaging in mental activities and immersing oneself in intellectually stimulating pursuits as a way to channel mental energy in a productive manner.
3. Embrace Thoughts
Ms Pinky N.D. Kansara suggests that people avoid combating their thoughts and instead allow them to surface and engage in self-talk. “Have a dialogue with thoughts, responding to them logically and positively. This practice reframes your relationship with your own mental landscape,” said the counsellor.
4. Extend Self-Compassion
While we may have a lot of compassion and empathy for people, we don’t offer the same to our own selves. This is why the REBT practitioner suggests cultivating a nurturing relationship with yourself and be understanding and gentle to yourself when distressing thoughts surface. She also stresses the importance of reducing self-criticism to avoid overthinking and protect one’s own mental health.
5. Express Gratitude
According to the mental health expert, nurturing gratitude is a great way to counterbalance overthinking. “Regularly acknowledge the positives in your life, redirecting your focus from anxieties to appreciation. Be grateful for everything that you have,” says Pinky N.D. Kansara.
6. Change Inner Narrative
How you process your thoughts and speak to yourself makes a lot of difference to your mental health. Ms Kansara says that one must harness the power of the written word by writing a journal to externalize their thoughts. As per the REBT practitioner, this allows one to engage in self-reflection and foster positive self-talk. Taking inspiration from the stories of people who have struggled with the same things as us, gives us motivation and helps change our inner narrative as well.
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7. Turn To Therapy
We all know that turning to experts is the best way to deal with mental health problems. There’s nothing like harnessing the potential of therapy to maintain one’s mental health. “Should the need arise, consider therapy as a means to dismantle negative thinking patterns. Professional guidance equips you with tools to restructure your cognitive landscape effectively,” says Pinky Kansara.
In conclusion, the expert shared that reframing overthinking can make it a vehicle for growth and resilience as it allows us to reshape our approach to thoughts via thought management. This helps one channel complicated and unpleasant thoughts and turn them into constructive, creative ideas while aiming positivity. As per the REBT practitioner, this helps us harness the full potential of cognitive prowess while navigating life challenges with grace and efficacy.
So, stop overthinking and start living!
First Published: October 10, 2023 12:23 PMHow To Know If Therapy Is Actually Working? Mental Health Expert Shares 8 Signs Of Progress
