Welcome back to Live Your Truth Love Your Life. Today, I want to chat about something I’ve been grappling with lately: overthinking. If you’ve ever found yourself mulling over something tirelessly, you know exactly what I'm talking about. It’s like your brain refuses to hit the brakes even when you know you're heading into a spiral.
Recently, I've caught myself overthinking more than usual. It all started when I began transitioning my focus towards change, loss, and grief in my professional life. I realized how often we don’t even recognize we're grieving. Change means loss, and loss means grief, even when it’s hidden beneath the surface.
During this transition, I updated my website copy to reflect my new focus, but then doubt crept in. I found myself fixated on whether people would connect with what I was saying. Was my message clear? Would it resonate? Before I knew it, I was spiraling over a single line of text.
A discussion with my business coach really opened my eyes. She pointed out how I was obsessing over this one detail on my website as if it held the key to my entire business’s success or failure. Her blunt question hit me hard: "Why are you being so precious about a line of copy?" It was a wake-up call about how I was letting overthinking take control.
This episode of overthinking made me step back and look at the bigger picture. It wasn’t just about the website. It was about control. When everything else feels out of control—like it often does when we’re navigating significant life changes—fixating on something small can feel like we’re gaining back some of that lost control. For me, it was a line of text; for others, it might be something else entirely.
We often don’t realize how seeking control in one area of our lives can lead to overthinking in another. When we can’t change a difficult situation, we look for anything that might give us a semblance of control. This week, as I reflected on this, I realized how this pattern wasn’t just about business. It was about life. It was about dealing with the grief that comes with change—both personal and professional.
The lesson I’ve learned, and hope to share with you, is about recognizing when you’re overthinking and understanding why. It’s not always about the immediate issue at hand, like a line of website copy or a decision at work. Often, it’s about something deeper, something harder to face.
What Can We Do About It?
1. Recognize the Signs: Notice when you’re stuck on something small and ask yourself what larger worries might be driving that focus.
2. Address the Root Cause: Try to identify what you’re really anxious about. Is it a fear of the future, a reaction to change, or something else?
3. Give Yourself Grace: Understand that it’s okay to feel out of control sometimes and that this doesn’t have to lead to overthinking.
4. Talk About It: Whether it’s with a friend, a coach, or through journaling, getting your thoughts out can help break the cycle of overthinking.
I’d love to hear how you cope with overthinking and if you’ve noticed similar patterns in your own life. Have you found particular strategies helpful for breaking the cycle? Let’s open up this conversation because sharing our experiences can make us feel less alone in our struggles.
Remember, it’s not just about controlling the overthinking; it’s about understanding why it’s happening and gently steering yourself back to a healthier mindset. Until next time, live your truth, love your life.
In today's episode, we explored the deep-seated reasons behind overthinking and how it often serves as a coping mechanism for feelings of loss and lack of control. This journal prompt is designed to help you identify and address the root causes of your own overthinking, enabling you to take actionable steps toward regaining control over your thoughts.
- Identify the Trigger: Reflect on a recent instance where you found yourself overthinking. What was the specific situation or thought that triggered this cycle? Write it down in detail.
- Explore the Underlying Emotions: What emotions are associated with this instance of overthinking? Are there feelings of fear, anxiety, loss, or something else? Try to connect these emotions to deeper issues or changes in your life.
- Seek Solutions: Considering the emotions and issues you've identified, what is one small, manageable action you can take to address these feelings? This could be a conversation you need to have, a change in routine, or a self-care activity that helps ground you.
This prompt is intended to help you slow down, assess the roots of your overthinking, and find practical ways to regain a sense of control and emotional balance.
Take your time with these questions. Sit with them, revisit them, and most importantly, act on them. It’s time to turn your insight into action.
There are no limits to this exercise - let your mind roam free, and be as detailed and creative as you can. The more vivid your visualization, the more tangible your dream will feel.
This is your time, your moment, your opportunity to make magic. Believe in your own potential, and let's see where this journey can take us. Happy journaling!