Chronic overthinkers have the hardest habit to quit because no matter how hard you try, it’ll always be there creeping up on you. But why should we live our lives in so much fear all the time? It’s time to stop letting overthinking win, and instead, fight back. Obviously it’s not going to happen overnight — it’s a gradual process.
It’s difficult, but you can do it. Here’s how to fight your overthinking:
Stop with your assumptions.
Stop assuming you said something wrong in a conversation or that kind people are just pretending. Eliminate the thought that you are never going to get what you want in life because you aren’t smart enough, pretty enough, or forward enough. You have every ability and I believe in your strength.
Break free from your comfort zone.
Even if you’re terrified, you need to change certain areas in your life to ensure you feel your most fulfilled. Things won’t change if you just internally wish for it to, you need to get out there and do it. You set the pace of your future, and procrastinating on it won’t help you.
Take action, even if the panic is debilitating at times.
You need to do the things that push you a little more each day. You don’t want to feel the way you’ve felt forever, especially if you’ve been really unhappy. Take those baby steps, even if it’s a gradual step in a different direction once each week. You’re still getting something.
Stop isolating yourself to protect yourself.
You are not better on your own, even if you keep telling yourself that. Don’t ignore texts from your friends or family. They’re checking in because they care and genuinely love you. You are not too awkward, nor is that an excuse to stop socializing. In the process of coming out of isolation, you will make some new friends along the way, and they too will understand you as you’ll understand them.
Stop with the skepticism, and start trusting yourself more.
You never give yourself enough credit and aren’t able to see the wonderful qualities you have. Time and growth will help you recognize it, and a lot of effort will go into it. But recognizing your worth and best features is a great way to start.
Compliment yourself more, and do it frequently!
Instead of giving up when the going gets tough, compliment yourself for trying. Don’t give in to negative self-talk — it’s normal to have negative thoughts, but you can choose to disagree with them. Don’t let yourself put you down if you hit a roadblock. Failure is imminent, but the thought of that shouldn’t hold you back. Get used to giving yourself compliments and support, and you’ll start believing it.
Ignore the doubters and the neigh-sayers.
Ignore your own nasty voice that is overthinking, and tell yourself you can do anything you set your mind to. If you fail, it’s not a big deal. You can try again. And if they laugh, they don’t need to be in your life.
Most importantly, stop thinking the worst in every situation.
People are not always out to get you, you are not bound to fail, friends will not let you down, you are loved, and everything is not going to always go wrong. You can’t always assume things will go terribly because if you go into things with that mindset, that’s the outcome you’ll receive.
Take this new beginning and stop selling yourself short. You have valuable things to offer to this world. You are no longer the punching bag to your overthinking, the roles have reversed. You’ll get experiences you never dreamed of because of this, and you’ll find a new side of you that you’ll really like to come. You deserve to be the winner; don’t be afraid to fight like one.
Featured image via Ronaldo Oliveira on Unsplash
